Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation

Cultivating plants, people and communities since 1977

Ground covers can be used to smother weeds, fill in areas under trees, stabilize hillsides, soften the edges of pathways and reduce evaporation. Showcased here are commonly available shade- and sun-tolerant plants.

Ground Cover/Dwarf Conifer Plant List

#Botanical NameCultivarCommon NameTreeNative
1Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop'bugleweed
2Allium cernuumnodding onion*
3Ajuga reptans 'Metallica'carpet bugle
4Cotula hispidasilver cotula
5Arenaria montanamountain sandwort
6Armeria maritimasea thrift
7Sedum spathulifolium 'Cape Blanco'stonecrop
8Campanula persicifolia 'Alba'white peachleaf bellflower*
9Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Beauty'blue peachleaf bellflower*
10Dicentra formosa 'Luxuriant'western bleeding heart
11Geum coccineum x Borisii 'Queen of Orange'geum
12Heuchera 'Melting Fire'coralbells
13Hosta (hybrid)
14Antennaria microphyllarosy pussy toes
15Lithodora diffusa 'Grace Ward'
16Malusflowering crabapple
17Monarda fistulosamintleaf beebalm
18Cotula 'Tiffindell Gold'gold cotula
19Sedum spurium 'Tricolor'variegated stonecrop
20Sedum tetractinumcreeping stonecrop
21PolemoniumJacob's ladder
22Stachys officinalis 'Pink Cotton Candy'betony
23Thymus (Coccineus Group)creeping thyme
24Saxifraga x urbiumgolden London pride
25Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Prostrata'prostrate Japanese plum yew
26Tsuga canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate'Canadian hemlock*
27Abies koreana 'Kahout's Icebreaker'Korean fir
28Cryptomeria japonica 'Birodo'Japanese cedar
29Pinus banksiana 'Schoodic'Jack pine
30Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Habari', 'Chirimen'dwarf hinoki cypress
31Picea omorika 'Pimoko'Serbian spruce
32Juniperus conferta 'Blue Pacific'shore juniper