Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Knits across the ground 1–2 ft wide and just 6–12 in tall, no mowing needed, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Delaware · Zone 7
Native Groundcover Plants in Delaware
Low, spreading natives that knit together to cover bare ground, smother weeds, and replace thirsty lawn or mulch. Every species here is genuinely native to Delaware and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zone 7 — proven performers for Delaware's mild, humid climate across Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens & Piedmont, not a generic list. Local standouts include Foamflower and Woodland Phlox. A living native groundcover does everything mulch does and then keeps doing it for free — covering soil, blocking weeds, and feeding wildlife as it goes. Match the spreader to the site (sun or shade, wet or dry), plant on tight centers so they close ranks in a season or two, and weed faithfully that first year while they fill in.
The plants
11 native species for Delaware
Each one native to your region and hardy in zone 7 · see this collection in other states.
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Runs 12–18 in wide and stays ankle-low at 10–15 in, holding soil where lawn won't, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A living mulch at 1.5–3 ft tall, fanning 1.5–2 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds; it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Settles in as a weed-suppressing carpet 1.5–2 ft wide, no taller than 1.5–2 ft — it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A mat-forming native, 30–50 ft tall and 10–20 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds — it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
Weaves a 4–8 in-tall mat 1.5–2 ft across to blanket bare ground, happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Knits across the ground 12–18 in wide and just 4–8 in tall, no mowing needed, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
A living mulch at 2–6 ft tall, fanning 5–10 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds, flowering as it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Spreads low — 2–3 ft tall, 2–3 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Knits across the ground 1.5–2.5 ft wide and just 1–2 ft tall, no mowing needed.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
A low 6–12 in-tall carpet that closes ranks 1–2 ft wide and shades out weeds.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Sourcing
Where to find these in Delaware
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.