Non-Invasive Ground Cover for Houston, Texas

Less Than 10 Inches Tall

• The tiny moss phlox (Phlox subulata) only grows to 6 inches tall but adds spring color when it blooms with a profusion of pink, white and red-purple flowers. Hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9, this evergreen forms a dense mat of gray-green foliage and thrives in sunny, well-draining sites. Strawberry begonia (Saxifraga stolonifera) grows to 8 inches tall and is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10. An evergreen, this ground cover grows quickly, forming a carpet of heart-shaped, gray-green leaves. It grows best in rich, moist soil and shade. Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) is among the most commonly used ground cover selections in the Houston region, says the Texas A&M System AgriLife Extension. This evergreen has glossy foliage and grows to 9 inches tall. Asiatic jasmine is hardy in USDA zones 7b to 10 and grows well in sunny or shady exposures.

10 Inches Tall

• For rocky sites with well-draining soil, plant blue fescue (Festuca ovina var. glauca). This fast-growing ornamental grass reaches heights of 10 inches and has delicate, blue-green foliage. Blue fescue is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) also grows to 10 inches tall. Hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9, this spreading ground cover has fine, dark foliage and thrives in shady sites. It blooms with purple summer flowers, followed by blue fruits.

12 Inches Tall

• Creeping liriope (Liriope spicata) grows in spreading, 12-inch-tall clumps of grasslike foliage. Hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9, this evergreen blooms in summer with white and pale purple flowers, followed by blue-black berries. Plant creeping liriope in shaded, well-draining sites. Clump verbena (Verbena canadensis) produces clusters of showy white flowers above dark, glossy foliage. This semi-evergreen grows to 12 inches tall and grows in sunny, sandy sites. It's hardy in USAD zones 6 to 10; mature verbena plants tolerate drought.

More Than 12 Inches Tall

• Liriope (Liriope muscaria) grows from 18 to 24 inches tall and forms clumps of dark green, grasslike leaves. This shade-loving ground cover thrives in well-draining soil and is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9. Liriope is an evergreen that adds year-round color and texture to your Houston garden. The wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) also grows from 18 to 24 inches tall. An evergreen, the wintercreeper tolerates heat and has silvery-green, dark foliage. It's hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9 and grows in sun or shade.