Evergreen Ground Covers for the Southwest

16.11.2023 - 18:27 / finegardening.com

From erosion control to weed suppression, ground covers play an important role in the garden. They benefit neighboring plants by shading the ground, which helps keep soil cool and reduces moisture loss to evaporation. Many ground covers provide nectar to pollinators and shelter ground-dwelling insects and vertebrates. From an aesthetic standpoint, ground covers lend gardens a finished look. They can be used to emphasize focal points or to soften transitions between garden elements. Evergreen ground covers provide these services all year long, while creating a bridge from one season to the next. Here are a few fabulous evergreen ground covers for the Southwest.

Thanks to the benefits they provide, ground covers have become staples of xeric and water-wise gardens. Among the most popular of these is hardy ice plant (Delosperma cooperi and cvs., Zones 6–10), a ground-hugging succulent that grows just 3 to 6 inches tall and spreads up to 2 feet wide. Gardeners and pollinators alike adore the brilliant magenta pink blooms, which cover plants from late spring through summer. Several cultivars and hybrids are available with varying flower colors.

Silver-edged horehound (Marrubium rotundifolium, Zones 4–9) makes a carpet of soft, wooly foliage that gently mounds up to 10 inches tall and spreads 1 to 2 feet wide. The foliage is white on the underside, and the leaf edges curl up to give the light green topsides a silver lining. Most gardeners choose to shear off the flowers, which are insignificant.

Pair silver-edged horehound with the germander sage (Salvia chamaedryoides and cvs., Zones 7–10), a more upright ground cover with fine silver-green foliage and vibrant blue blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Plants bloom