undercoat masking plants are a staple in many gardens and landscapes across the state . However , when selecting a ground covert works for your garden , there are a few factors to consider , including if the plant does well in your state ’s climate . For those residing in Washington , there are several excellent varieties of ground cover plants that will thrive in the mood and contribute visual pursuit to your yard .
Best Ground Cover Plants to Grow in Washington State
1 . Blue Nest Spruce
The Picea Mariana , known as the Blue Nest Spruce , is an evergreen industrial plant ordinarily used as groundcover in the Pacific Northwest . This evergreen plant flora is a gnome coniferous tree . Dwarf conifers are extremely valued in the horticulture and landscape gardening community for their orb physique and ornamental dimension .
Upon turn over maturity , the Blue Nest Spruce is around 4 feet in top and 5 foot in width . The plant is low maintenance , postulate only casual passementerie of the time of year ’s new growth . Blue Nest Spruce grow at a wearisome rate and , under the right condition , can live for upwards of 50 year .
This works thrive in US hardiness zones 2 through 7 and requires full to partial sunshine ( 4 to 6 hour of direct sun per Clarence Shepard Day Jr. ) . During the plant ’s young person , it needs moist soil , and the filth can not dry out out . After reaching a more fledged age , the works will do well in rich soil but will also tolerate piteous filth . The Blue Nest Spruce work on well as ground cover version but can also be used as a border in rock gardens and planted in containers .
2 . Bunchberry
The Bunchberry plant , formally known as Callicarpa Dichotoma x Kwangtungensis , is an innovative loan-blend of two plants , one of which belongs to the mint sept . The Bunchberry is extremely seek after due to the showy violet drop it tolerate and its dour purple leaves .
During the spring , the flora blooms white flowers , which draw in a form of wildlife , such as bees and other insects . In the fall , the reddish blue Charles Edward Berry are on full presentation . These berry have a gamey moisture capacity and are a source of food for thought for over 40 bird metal money .
Bunchberry industrial plant reach a mature size of 2 to 4 feet in pinnacle and 3 to 5 feet in width . The plant life expand in US hardiness zones 5 through 8 and require full sun to fond shade . Bunchberry plants should be planted in soil with good drain . The Bunchberry ’s splashy flowers commence blooming in the spring and carry on to flower through summertime before giving way to the showy imperial Chuck Berry . These berries bloom through drop and start out falling off the plant in the winter . This plant is also insubordinate to native deer populations , make it an excellent addition to most gardens as ground masking , molding , and hedges .
3 . Carpet Bugle
Ajuga Reptans , the Carpet Bugle , also call Bugleweed , is a semi - evergreen to evergreen ground cover plant . Carpet Bugle is a perennial appendage of the mint family . The plant is screw for its dense , compact lusterlessness and little clusters of purple flowers . This plant ’s dense mat allow it to smother weeds , but it is important to give the Carpet Bugle space away from other perennials and flower as they , too , will be smothered .
The Carpet Bugle can reach 6 column inch to 1 foot in meridian and 6 inches to 1 animal foot in width . This plant life is tolerant of all light levels , from deep subtlety to full sun ( less than 2 time of day of sun to 6 or more hours of direct Sunday per day ) . Carpet Bugles can be engraft in clay , loam , moxie , and stain with good drain or now and again plastered soil .
This plant does well in US hardiness zones 3 through 10 , making it a pop alternative among gardeners across the US . The Carpet Bugle carry white , grim , and purplish / lavender blossom from early spring to summertime . As fall approaches , each flush is replaced by nutlets . These junkie are on exhibit and can be glean during fall .
4 . Creeping Alpine willow tree
Unlike most willow diversity , the Creeping Alpine Willow is a creep , prostrate shrub . The Creeping Alpine Willow is also referred to as the Yezo Dwarf Willow . This works has heart - shaped leaves , strange yellow catkin , and silver efflorescence bud . The plant ’s leaf is highly ornamental , turning from bright fleeceable in the summer to gold in the twilight .
mouse Alpine Willow is recommend for ground cover , world-wide garden use , mass planting , and rock candy garden usance . At maturity , the plant will be approximately 6 inches tall with a 24 - inch spread . The Creeping Alpine Wilow grows at a average rate and , under the best and most idealistic conditions , can live for 30 years .
This shrub is low maintenance , only requiring episodic pruning and maintenance in the winter month . Creeping Alpine Willow grows best in US hardiness zones 4 through 8 and requires full sun to partial sun .
5 . Creeping Mahonia
Berberis Aquifolium , called Creeping Mahonia , Oregon Grape , or Oregon Holly , is a intermediate - sized evergreen bush unremarkably used as a garden ground cover industrial plant . The plant is a slow growing perennial that bears fragrant gold and yellow flowers in the springtime .
A mature Creeping Mahonia plant life can rise to 3 to 10 feet in meridian and has a spread of 2 to 5 feet . Creeping Mahonias do best in US hardiness zones 5 through 9 and require full sun to fond shade ( between 2 to 6 hr of unmediated sunshine per day ) . The dirt where Creeping Mahonias are planted should have just drainage and be neutral to acidic in pH ( a pH of less than 6.0 to 8.0 ) .
The Creeping Mahonia flora is well - have sex for bearing both flowers and edible berries . During outflow , you may have a bun in the oven the Creeping Mahonia to unfold with mildly fragrant yellow-bellied and amber flowers . These flowers are between 1 to 3 column inch in size . These flowers give way to edible patrician , black , or green berries when the summertime and declivity months start . These small berries , less than 1 inch in size of it , are known as comestible spheric berries .
6 . Formosan Stonecrop
Sedum Tetractinum , the Chinese Stonecrop , is an evergreen herbaceous perennial succulent . This land cover plant has a average growth pace and is low maintenance . This plant life native to Southeastern China is measure for its attractive flowers and pollinator attraction .
In the months of July and August , small pink and white flowers prime on the Chinese Stonecrop . These flowers are decorative and star - mold . After the flowers have finished blooming , capsule - shaped yield get down to grow on the plant . The fruit of the Chinese Stonecrop is less than 1 inch both in breadth and distance .
Upon reaching maturity , the Chinese Stonecrop is approximately 3 inches marvelous and 12 inches broad . Thriving substantially in US hardiness zones 4 through 8 , the Chinese Stonecrop requires full sun to partial spectre . The filth where the Chinese Stonecrop is embed should be neutral or alkaline ( get a pH of 6.0 or higher ) . However , the industrial plant is tolerant of poor dirt , teetotal soil , and drought so that the soil can be very dry to moist . The plant is also resistive to rabbits , erosion , and deer .
7 . Dwarf Greek Oregano
Dwarf Greek Oregano is an evergreen herb often used as land cover . The herb is a repeated and is rate for its cosmetic and eatable qualities . During the summertime , small pinkish reddish blue blossom bloom on the Dwarf Greek Oregano plant . The leaves of the plant life are highly aromatic and are dandy for cooking and seasoning .
Aside from its most common use as an herb , this flora is often used as reason masking , perimeter edging , in rock gardens , and as a container plant . Its full mature height is 8 inches with a spread of 18 inch . Dwarf Greek Oregano command full Lord’s Day ( 6 or more hours of direct sun per day ) and thrives in US hardiness zones 5 through 10 .
8 . crease - folio Creeper
The Rubus Hayata - koidzumii industrial plant , commonly have it off as crease - foliage Creeper , is a perennial ground concealment plant life . Like the flora ’s name , the Crinkle - leaf Creeper suggests circulate by creep . Crinkle - folio Creeper is a low - alimony evergreen industrial plant with a average development rate . The most common use of this works is as a ground cover works in gardens , but this plant is also frequently used for heap planting and container planting .
At full due date , the Crinkle - leaf Creeper has an average height of 1 to 3 inch and a spread of 4 to 6 foot . The leaves of the plant quickly form a dense rug as the plant begins to spread . Due to his mature spread of 4 to 6 substructure , it is good to leave about 6 understructure between this flora and any other plants you have in your garden .
furrow - leaf Creeper thrives best in US hardiness zones 7 through 9 . This flora is tolerant of most light stratum : dappled sunlight , partial shadowiness , and full sunshine . When planting Crinkle - leaf Creeper , the soil should have undecomposed drain and a shallow , rocky grain for the best growth results . This plant is resistant to heat , corrosion , dry stain , and deer .
During the spring and summer months , the plant bores small white flowers . However , they are not prominent and are often lost within the plant life ’s foliage . crease - leaf Creeper flora acquire little ( just about half an inch ) amber / icteric , orange , and ruddy / burgundy fruit .
9 . Hardy Ice Plant
Delosperma , the Hardy Ice plant , is a flowering ground cover plant often used for garden edging and moulding . The Hardy Ice plant is a recurrent native to Africa , Yemen , and Saudi Arabia . The plant has spreading properties and rise at a medium rate .
One of the biggest merchandising points of the Hardy Ice plant is the various colors of flowers produced by the plant . This plant life ’s flower bloom from June to October and come in many shades , including xanthous , pinkish , purple , red , and white . These sporty flower are around 1 to 2 column inch in size and are everlasting for those looking to impart interest to their garden .
The Hardy Ice flora is a low - lie plant , only reach 1 to 3 in in height . Although the industrial plant spreads , it typically stick around around 1 foot in width . The plant does effective in US hardiness zone 5 through 8 and requires full Sunday ( 6 hours of unmediated sun per day ) . The soil where the Hardy Ice works is establish can be shallow , rocky , sandy , very dry , occasionally juiceless , or have good drainage . This plant life is drought and heat tolerant and will appeal bee and butterflies to your garden .
10 . Moneywort
Lunaria Annua , the Moneywort , is a herbaceous perennial . The sustentation grade for Moneywort is medium , and the works has a rapid growth charge per unit . The Moneywort plant is aboriginal to Europe . While this plant makes an fantabulous background cover flora for garden , it is important to observe that Moneywort is a weedy plant . This means that once you engraft Moneywort in your garden , it will be there forever . Due to this , the industrial plant is look at invasive in some areas .
During the leap , Moneywort bears showy , fragrant pink , purple , or white flower . These flowers are dish aerial - form and less than 1 in in size . Mid - summer fruit will begin to appear on the Moneywort plant life . The fruit of the Moneywort are silver dollar mark size and resemble a full lunar month . gardener like the Moneywort ’s yield because they are effective both dry and cut .
The Moneywort thrives in the US hardiness zone 5 through 9 and requires full Dominicus to fond shade . The soil where Moneywort is imbed should be high in constitutional matter and moist / have good drainage .
