Low, spreading natives that knit together to cover bare ground, smother weeds, and replace thirsty lawn or mulch. Minnesota sits in a landscape of Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its cold continental character. The list below — led by Common Yarrow and Wild Geranium — is filtered to species genuinely native to Minnesota and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 3–5. 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.
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–5 · see this collection in other states.
Achillea millefolium
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, a mat-forming native, 1.5–3 ft tall and 1.5–2 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds — it blooms May through Aug.
Geranium maculatum
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, carpets bare soil 1.5–2 ft wide to replace thirsty lawn or mulch, good through zone 8; it blooms Apr through Jun.
Phlox divaricata
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, weaves a 10–15 in-tall mat 12–18 in across to blanket bare ground, happy in loam soil; it flowers in Apr and May.
Geum triflorum
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, weaves a 6–16 in-tall mat 12–18 in across to blanket bare ground, dusky pink nodding bells flowers; it flowers in Apr and May.
Tiarella cordifolia
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, carpets bare soil 1–2 ft wide to replace thirsty lawn or mulch, for loam ground — it flowers in Apr and May.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, weaves a 4–8 in-tall mat 3–6 ft across to blanket bare ground, good through zone 6; it flowers in Apr and May.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, a living mulch at 30–50 ft tall, fanning 10–20 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds, flowering as it flowers in Jun.
Asarum canadense
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, a mat-forming native, 4–8 in tall and 12–18 in wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
Bouteloua gracilis
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, knits across the ground 8–16 in wide and just 8–20 in tall, no mowing needed; it blooms Jun through Aug.
Phlox subulata
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, a mat-forming native, 4–8 in tall and 1.5–2 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
Rhus aromatica
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, weaves a 2–6 ft-tall mat 5–10 ft across to blanket bare ground, cold-hardy to zone 3; it flowers in Mar and Apr.
Polystichum acrostichoides
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, runs 1.5–2.5 ft wide and stays ankle-low at 1–2 ft, holding soil where lawn won't.
Sporobolus heterolepis
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, spreads low — 2–3 ft tall, 2–3 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds.
Carex pensylvanica
Through Minnesota's Northern tallgrass prairie & North Woods country, spreads low — 6–12 in tall, 1–2 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds.
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.