University of Vermont Extension
Department of Plant and Soil Science
Anytime News
Article
TRY THESE NATIVE GROUNDCOVERS
Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont
Groundcovers are valuable plants
in any landscape. Bluegrass lawns are popular groundcovers in full-sun
sites
where foot traffic is heavy, but other groundcovers are appropriate for
many
places. These include slopes where erosion control is important, shaded
areas
where many grasses do not perform well, and sites where more visual
interest is
desirable.
These six shrubby groundcovers
are native to northern New England. They are superior landscape plants,
hardy,
and are widely available at nurseries and garden centers.
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is one of the most beautiful
and durable
groundcovers available. It is just a few inches tall, but with time
expands to
as much as 15 feet across. Its glossy green leaves form a dense mat. In
spring
it produces dainty white/pink bell-shaped flowers. In fall and winter
it is
decorated with bright red fruits and reddish leaves.
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) requires moist, acid soil and
does well in sun
or partial shade. This six-inch plant expands rather slowly into a
broad
groundcover. Its shiny dark green leaves turn wine-red in fall. The
white
bracts around the tiny flowers are very showy in spring, and the
clusters of
scarlet fruits in August persist into winter and are eaten by many
birds.
Checkerberry (Gaultheria procumbens) is also called
Creeping wintergreen, a name that refers to the fragrance released when
leaves
are crushed. Checkerberry forms a six-inch creeping groundcover, valued
for its
shiny, evergreen leaves. It does best in moist, acid, organic soil.
Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) is perhaps the
most popular groundcover juniper in the United States. Plants reach one
to two
feet in height and spread four to eight feet across, although many
selected
cultivars (cultivated varieties) vary significantly from that size.
Creeping
junipers do best in full sun and tolerate heat and drought well once
established. At least two cultivars originated in Maine: 'Bar Harbor'
was found
in rock crevices on Mt. Desert Island. 'Blue Rug' was introduced to the
industry in 1914 after it was discovered on Vinalhaven Island off the
coast of
Maine.
Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) is a very hardy, two-inch
groundcover that is sometimes called Twinberry. Its dark green leaves
often
have whitish veins. The pinkish flowers are very fragrant in early
summer, and
the red fruits add color to the planting in fall and winter. This plant
requires moist, acid soil and shade. Partridgeberry is not an
aggressive
groundcover for large areas, but it is a delightful shade garden plant
for the
avid gardener.
Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is prized for
its tasty fruits of August, but it has many other attributes that make
it
useful as a groundcover. It tolerates dry, sandy soils although
moisture is
important for good fruit size. It is truly a plant for all seasons. In
spring,
its new foliage is often bronze. In early summer it produces white or
pink flowers.
By midsummer, the dense lowbush
blueberry foliage is beautiful, and in late summer the blue fruits
provide food
for people, birds, and many other animals. In late fall the foliage
forms a
mosaic of red, wine, purple, and orange. In winter, the reddish stem
color
contrasts with the snow. Related to this
plant is the mountain cranberry or lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea).
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Perry's Perennial
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