Common reed is similar in appearance to Giant reed (Arundo donax), another non-native grass that is considered to be invasive in some areas. A word of warning: these plants are popular pass along plants. Densely tufted, soft needle-like leaves. Where it is invasive, like in the Pacific Northwest, it will wipe out pretty much anything in its path, covering small trees, shrubs, and assorted vegetation, blocking sunlight and weakening them until it is the only thing left. Your Guide to an Invasive Plant. This ground cover has pleasant flowers that appear in pastel hues. Zones 4-9 Ground cover. While the following 7 plants are often sold in garden centers, they are true garden thugs. For now, feel free to continue reading. Sundrops are biennial and Mexican evening primrose can be ephemeral, so you may think they have disappeared from your garden after flowering. Any remaining root will simply form a new plant and continue spreading. They're valuable for … These spread too, but not aggressively. The chameleon plant is a very rapid spreader. By the way, evening primrose is no relation to the popular spring flowering primroses (Primula). A non-invasive cover. This makes them especially prone to be invasive in cool climates. Its fragrant little bell-shaped white flowers grow well in shade and have long blooming period. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/.../g32440508/best-ground-cover-plants The old adage of not being able to judge a book by its cover very much pertains to such barbarians. In late summer infestations are conspicuous as a result of its abundant showy white flowers. They will also need to be kept watered during dry spells in the first season or two, especially if positioned under trees. The best low growing flowering groundcover plants for your garden. There is also an attractive pink version (Oenothera speciosa) known commonly as showy evening primrose, Mexican primrose, or Showy Ladies, which blooms in the—you guessed it—evening. They're valuable for … It seems to stay only in the garden and has not crept onto … Houzz: Native Alternatives to English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra and Periwinkle. By using The Spruce, you accept our. Rounded 2-in.-long leaves and small white fragrant clusters of flowers appear at the ends of the branches in spring. Plant in full sun/partial shade. Tiny, white flowers top the foliage in early summer. A moss-like ground cover speckled with tiny white flowers. Good green ivies. This ground cover plants can be grown in various conditions, from ground covers to hanging baskets and container planters. Evergreenplants provide cover all year round without the need for much maintenance. Cut it down as short as possible in the early spring and then cover the area with plastic. In some areas, plants like these go beyond aggressive and become invasive. Eragrostis curvula (Weeping Lovegrass) So do not plant unless you can spend some effort to keep it from going out of hand. Ground-cover plants serve an important purpose in the landscape. However, due to its suckering nature it does have a tendency to spread and can be hard to manage. Some of the worst invasive plants are actually quite lovely, as you will see by viewing the photos on the following pages. Compounding the problem is the fact that these aggressive plants are still widely available for sale. It grows vigorously over other vegetation, forming dense blankets that block sunlight to the plants underneath. While most people wouldn’t want to plant invasive plants, they do have their benefits. The mat-forming ajuga (Ajuga reptans), also known as bugleweed, is another popular ground cover that can turn thuggish (lily of the valley is another). 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