Are you looking forward to creating a low-maintenance ground cover that can help save your water bills? Red creeping thyme Texas is among the best drought resistant ground cover to blanket your compound in gorgeous greenery. In this article, I talk about ground covers that you will use instead of grass.
The best drought-tolerant ground covers you can walk on include California fuchsia, red creeping thyme Texas, blue ground cover flowers, Angelina Sedum, Moss phlox, Creeping Mahonia, and Ice plant. These low- growing drought-resistant ground covers look beautiful and bloom with less water. Since they do well in dry soil, these perennials help prevent weeds from spreading in bare spots, especially during summer.
6 Best Drought Tolerant Ground Covers
Here are the best grass alternatives which are highly drought resistant;
1. California fuchsia
Do you enjoy seeing hummingbirds flutter in your compound? This perennial plant, also called hummingbird trumpet, is the best choice. California Fuchsia is heat-hardy, attractive, and grows faster, attracting bees and butterflies.
The plant grows in dry and sunny slopes and flourishes at the peak of summer heat when other plants go dormant. This groundcover can also resist fire and high foot traffic, hence a great choice.
2. Creeping thyme
This ground cover drought resistant plant greens in early spring and flourishes from late spring to summer. It produces red creeping thyme texas white, pink, ground cover with blue flowers, and creeping thyme with purple flowers (pictured above), which attract butterflies and bees.
Creeping thyme Texas is an excellent grass alternative between stepping stones and pavers in driveways, as it is resistant to high foot traffic.
In addition, the plant thrives in sandy and rocky soil and full sun and goes dormant in fall.
3. Angelina Sedum
You can never go wrong by planting Angelina Sedum as your yard’s groundcover. It thrives in sunny and hot areas and the cracks of a dry stone wall.
This perennial produces bright yellow flowers throughout summer, which adds to your compound’s beauty. Angelina Sedum is also resistant to deer and rabbits and doesn’t go dormant even in prolonged dry conditions.
4. Moss phlox
Moss phlox, also called Creeping phlox, will carpet and beautify your compound with cheerful pink, white, red, and lavender flowers. If you love seeing butterflies and hummingbirds in your yard, this perennial is the best choice as it attracts them.
The plant grows fast to form a dense mat underfoot and is highly drought tolerant.
5. Creeping Mahonia
This drought tolerant groundcover is ideal for soil erosion and thrives in shaded areas. After planting, you should thoroughly water Creeping Mahonia for the first year until it is established. Watering will not be necessary from there as it can withstand prolonged dry conditions.
When planting, mulch the base to prevent weeds and conserve moisture.
6. Ice Plant
Ice plant is a great drought resistant groundcover that flourishes in challenging areas like rocky gardens, dry and sunny slopes. Additionally, it does well in full sunlight and poor soil and does not require fertilizer to grow.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the least expensive low growing drought tolerant ground cover?
A: Creeping phlox is one of the cheapest low growing drought resistant ground cover preferred for walkway areas. The perennial propagates easily by division, and you can get more than enough in two years by growing one plant.
Q: What is the best ground cover to prevent weeds?
A: The best ground cover that eliminates weeds fast is Mondo grass. The plant thrives across the United States and grows and spreads vigorously, choking all weeds in the yard.
Conclusion
Water is becoming an essential and rare resource daily, and it is necessary to conserve it as much as possible. For this reason, most homeowners are looking for grass alternatives that can thrive without much water.
The best drought resistant ground covers include California fuchsia, Creeping thyme, Angelina Sedum, Moss phlox, Creeping Mahonia, and Ice plant. These perennials do well in dry and sunny conditions, resist high foot traffic, and require low maintenance.
Therefore, plant any of the above grass alternatives if you want an excellent drought resistant ground cover.
