Low, spreading natives that knit together to cover bare ground, smother weeds, and replace thirsty lawn or mulch. For North Carolina, the right natives are shaped by Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain and a humid subtropical to montane climate. Every species below, from Common Yarrow and Wild Geranium to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to North Carolina and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–8. 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 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
Achillea millefolium
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, weaves a 1.5–3 ft-tall mat 1.5–2 ft across to blanket bare ground, happy in sand, clay, rocky, and loam soil, flowering as it blooms May through Aug.
Geranium maculatum
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, spreads low — 1.5–2 ft tall, 1.5–2 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds; it blooms Apr through Jun.
Tiarella cordifolia
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, a living mulch at 6–12 in tall, fanning 1–2 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
Phlox divaricata
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, a low 10–15 in-tall carpet that closes ranks 12–18 in wide and shades out weeds; it flowers in Apr and May.
Phlox subulata
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, a mat-forming native, 4–8 in tall and 1.5–2 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds, and it flowers in Apr and May.
Asarum canadense
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, a low 4–8 in-tall carpet that closes ranks 12–18 in wide and shades out weeds; it flowers in Apr and May.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, spreads low — 30–50 ft tall, 10–20 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds, and it flowers in Jun.
Rhus aromatica
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, weaves a 2–6 ft-tall mat 5–10 ft across to blanket bare ground, happy in sand, clay, rocky, and loam soil, and it flowers in Mar and Apr.
Carex pensylvanica
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, a living mulch at 6–12 in tall, fanning 1–2 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds.
Polystichum acrostichoides
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, carpets bare soil 1.5–2.5 ft wide to replace thirsty lawn or mulch, for rocky and loam ground.
Sporobolus heterolepis
In North Carolina's Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Coastal Plain, a living mulch at 2–3 ft tall, fanning 2–3 ft wide to cover soil and block 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.