Native groundcover plants
Bare mulch is a yearly expense that feeds nothing. These natives spread to cover ground on their own — a living mulch that shades out weed seed, holds soil, and shelters the ground-nesting insects that most gardens have nowhere for. Spreading is the point, so plant them where the spread is welcome and give them a hard edge if it isn't.
Bedfellow lists 153 of these.
The 30 most-observed are listed here — see all 153 in search.
- Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)
- Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)
- Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron)
- Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)
- Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
- Starflower (Trientalis borealis)
- Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
- American White Waterlily (Nymphaea odorata)
- Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
- Carolina Snailseed (Cocculus carolinus)
- Lizard's Tail (Saururus cernuus)
- Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)
- Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)
- Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
- White Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum)
- Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
- Seaside Heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum)
- Western Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera oblongifolia)
- Ramps (Allium tricoccum)
- Cascade Oregon Grape (Mahonia nervosa)
- Siberian Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia sibirica)
- Goldthread (Coptis trifolia)
- Redwood Sorrel (Oxalis oregana)
- Checkerbloom (Sidalcea malviflora)
- Canadian White Violet (Viola canadensis)
- Gaywings (Polygaloides paucifolia)
- False Lily of the Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum)
- Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza)
- False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum)
- Sweet Coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus)