Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Knits across the ground 1–2 ft wide and just 6–12 in tall, no mowing needed, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Georgia · Zones 6–9
Native Groundcover Plants in Georgia
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 Georgia and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–9 — proven performers for Georgia's humid subtropical climate across Piedmont, Blue Ridge & Coastal Plain, 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
10 native species for Georgia
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–9 · see this collection in other states.
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Settles in as a weed-suppressing carpet 12–18 in wide, no taller than 10–15 in, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Runs 1.5–2 ft wide and stays ankle-low at 1.5–3 ft, holding soil where lawn won't; it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Spreads low — 1.5–2 ft tall, 1.5–2 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds — it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
Weaves a 4–8 in-tall mat 1.5–2 ft across to blanket bare ground, pink to lavender flowers — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Carpets bare soil 5–10 ft wide to replace thirsty lawn or mulch, yellow catkins flowers — it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Spreads low — 4–8 in tall, 12–18 in wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A mat-forming native, 30–50 ft tall and 10–20 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds, flowering as it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Spreads low — 1–2 ft tall, 1.5–2.5 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Runs 1–2 ft wide and stays ankle-low at 6–12 in, holding soil where lawn won't.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Sourcing
Where to find these in Georgia
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.