Twelve Unwanted Invasive Groundcover Species to Avoid Planting
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Strong growth can be a desirable characteristic in groundcover plants, but sometimes it backfires. Unfortunately, some popular groundcovers are so aggressive that they choke out any plants in their path. These overzealous groundcovers are not only bad news for your home landscapes but can also escape into natural lands, outcompeting native plants and altering ecosystems. Here are 12 of the worst offenders that you should never plant in your yard.
- Beach Vitex
Initially introduced to North America from Korea as a means to protect beaches from erosion, beach vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) quickly got out of hand. This low-growing woody shrub tolerates harsh growing conditions often found on dunes and produces clusters of purple flowers in May.
- Bishop's Weed
Also known as goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria), bishop's weed forms a low, leafy mat of variegated green and white foliage. While this can prevent weeds in your garden, it spreads too aggressively to be considered a good choice for any landscape.
- Chameleon Plant
Originating from Southeast Asia, the chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata) is a perennial groundcover with variegated, heart-shaped leaves on quickly spreading stems that stand 1 to 2 feet tall. This plant thrives in both shade and moist soil and is nearly impossible to remove once established.
- Creeping Jenny
Native to Europe and Asia, creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) was introduced to North America as an ornamental groundcover. It then escaped into native areas and is now considered an ecological threat due to its slender stems, which branch out and form roots wherever they touch the soil.
- English Ivy
An evergreen vine that forms a thick blanket of foliage at ground level, English ivy (Hedera helix) will overtake nearby plants, including trees. It is particularly problematic in home landscapes, as its waxy leaves repel herbicides, and any piece of root will quickly resprout.
- Ice Plant
Not to be confused with the well-behaved hardy ice plant (Delosperma cooperi), this plant is hardy in temperate and tropical regions (Zones 8–11) and has become exceptionally problematic in California, where it is displacing native species. Birds carry the seeds into natural areas, and the seeds quickly sprout and form dense mats of foliage.
- Japanese Bloodgrass
The striking red foliage of Japanese bloodgrass (Imperata cylindrica) has lured thousands of gardeners into planting this noxious grassy groundcover. Although the red cultivar ‘Rubra’ is not considered invasive, it often reverts to the highly invasive 4- to 5-foot-tall green form.
- Ribbon Grass
Like Japanese bloodgrass, ribbon grass grows out of control quickly and is often planted to prevent erosion and stabilize a slope. Ribbon grass grows quickly, forming a tall groundcover that is almost impossible to get rid of due to its fine and dense root system.
- Vinca
Also known as periwinkle, vinca (Vinca minor) has a bad reputation for escaping home landscapes and taking root in natural areas. While it appears to be well-behaved in home landscapes, it can choke out wildflowers and other natives in natural areas.
- Wintercreeper
A tenacious evergreen vine that grows in both poor or good soil and sun or shade, wintercreeper masquerades as a garden problem solver but don't be fooled by this problem plant. In short order, it forms a dense mat of foliage at ground level, destroying every plant in its wake.
- Yellow Archangel
A member of the mint family, yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) spreads quickly and grows about 2 feet tall with yellow flower spikes in early summer. Its stems root wherever they touch the ground, making it an aggressive, weedy plant that chokes out native species.
- Japanese Pachysandra
Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) grows in shade and dry, crumbly soil, providing lush cover where other plants refuse to grow. This perennial is such a tenacious plant that it ranges far beyond the initial planting bed, destroying the ecosystem in its wake.
If you're looking for non-invasive groundcover alternatives, try low-growing perennials like wintergreen or golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum) or short shrubs that won't outcompete native plants and disrupt ecosystems.
Gardening enthusiasts often seek out plants with robust growth, but some perennials, such as beach vitex and Japanese pachysandra, can become overzealous and disrupt ecosystems. In the guide on 'How To Garden', Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) recommends avoiding these invasive species and opting for alternative groundcovers like wintergreen and golden star, which are less likely to harm native plants and natural lands.
