Drought-Resistant Ground Cover Plants

Bearberry

• Bearberry (Arcrostaphy los uva-uisi) is an evergreen ground cover with a slow to moderate growth rate. The plant grows to a mature height of 1 to 4 inches and has good tolerance for drought. Bearberry creates a low mat on the ground and grows best in areas of sun to light shade, in well-drained, acidic, light textured soil. The plant has a fine texture and blooms with small, urn-like, white to pink flowers during spring. The leathery foliage is 1 inch long and dark green in color. Bearberry tends to get root diseases if grown in moist or wet soil. The plant has good tolerance for salt spray.

Blue Catmint

• Blue catmint (Nepeta x faasenii) is a drought tolerant, semi-evergreen ground cover also referred to as Faasen's catmint. The plant has a moderate growth rate, growing to mature height of 1 ½ to 2 feet with a 2- to 3-foot spread. Blue catmint has 1-inch-long, oblong, aromatic foliage with rounded edges, and blooms with ½ violet blue flower spikes during summer. The plant grows best in areas of sun to light shade and adapts well to a wide range of well-drained soil types. Pruning plants after every flowering keep the blooms returning vigorously.

Shrubby Potentilla

• Shrubby potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa) is a deciduous ground cover also referred to as shrubby cinquefoil. The plant has a slow growth rate and fine texture. Shrubby potentilla is a drought-resistant ground cover and grows to a mature height of 1 to 3 feet. The plant grows best in areas of sun to light shade and moist, well-drained soil. The plant also adapts well to poor, dry soil. Shrubby potentilla has 3- to 7-inch-long, narrow leaflets of blue green to dark green compound foliage and blooms with 1 to 1 ½ inch yellow flowers in the summer and well into frost.