Succulent Ground Cover Options for Gardens

One of my favorite plants in my garden is a variety of Delosperma called ‘Fire Spinner’. This ground cover has spread around an otherwise exposed area of my front garden and features vibrant fuchsia and orange flowers. A succulent ground cover is a great option for a sunny, dry area of the garden. In this article, I’m going to share why succulents make good ground covers, some favorites, as well as some ideas on where to plant them and why.

There are some succulents that make great mounding garden plants (like ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum), while others are very low growing, making them perfect ground cover options.

Here are some reasons to choose a succulent ground cover:

• They are low-maintenance plants
• Most are drought tolerant and will thrive in a garden that gets full sun
• They don’t need much soil to take root, so they’re great options for rock gardens
• Succulents are easy to propagate, so you can make more from a simple stem cutting
• They provide winter interest
• Succulents will help to keep weeds at bay in a blank area of the garden
• In a sloping landscape, plants can provide some erosion control
• Succulents can take the heat
• Sedum flowers attract pollinators, from bees and butterflies to hummingbirds
• Plants will go dormant in the winter, providing winter interest

If you’re hoping for perennial ground cover, check the plant tag closely to make sure it won’t just be a short-lived annual. You want to make sure it will survive in your hardiness zone (USDA, Canada, etc.). Some succulent ground covers are used to tropical conditions, so they don’t like frost, never mind an entire cold winter potentially covered in snow.

Look for indications of the