12 Drought Tolerant Ground Cover Plants to Try

That bare, baking strip along the driveway does not need another season of mulch blowing into the neighbor’s yard. A well-chosen drought tolerant ground cover can turn tough, thirsty spots into something greener, softer, and much less needy than a traditional lawn.

The trick is choosing plants for the reality of your yard, not the fantasy version. Dry shade under a maple tree needs a different plant than a south-facing slope that feels like a skillet in July. Start with the right match, give it a decent first season, and your watering chores may get a whole lot less dramatic.

What Makes a Ground Cover Drought Tolerant?

Drought-tolerant plants are not necessarily plants that never need water. Most need regular watering while their roots are getting established, usually through the first growing season. Once rooted in, though, they can handle dry stretches better than shallow-rooted turf grass or thirsty annual flowers.

Many have small, silvery, waxy, or fuzzy leaves that lose less moisture. Others store water in fleshy leaves or send roots deep into the soil. The best ones also spread enough to shade the ground, which helps the soil hold moisture and gives weeds fewer open invitations.

Before buying anything, pay attention to three things: how many hours of direct sun the area gets, whether water runs off or puddles there, and your winter hardiness zone. A plant that loves dry heat may still hate a soggy winter, while a shade lover can scorch in an exposed rock garden.

12 Drought Tolerant Ground Cover Options

1. Creeping thyme

Creeping thyme is a favorite for sunny paths, stepping stones, and small patches where you want a little fragrance underfoot. Its tiny leaves form a low mat, and it produces pink, purple, or white flowers that pollinators appreciate.

It prefers well-drained soil and does not love heavy foot traffic, despite its tough-looking reputation. Think occasional strolling, not the route your kids take at full speed to the trampoline.

2. Sedum

Low-growing sedums, often called stonecrops, are little water-saving workhorses. Their succulent leaves come in greens, blues, reds, and golds, so a dry area does not have to look like a collection of plain green blobs.

Sedum is especially useful in hot, sunny spots with gravelly or sandy soil. It can struggle in dense, wet clay, so loosen the planting area or create a slightly raised bed if drainage is poor.

3. Creeping phlox

Creeping phlox brings a big spring show to slopes, rock gardens, and sunny borders. For a few cheerful weeks, the foliage nearly disappears under clouds of pink, lavender, blue, or white blooms.

After flowering, it remains a low, tidy cover with a softer look than many succulents. It needs good drainage and a little breathing room, so avoid planting it where sprinklers keep the soil constantly wet.

4. Ice plant

Ice plant is built for bright sun, heat, and lean soil. Its fleshy foliage hugs the ground, while its electric-looking flowers can be magenta, yellow, orange, or purple.

This one is a strong choice for warm, dry climates and coastal gardens. In colder regions, check the label carefully, because hardiness varies widely among types. It also needs excellent drainage. Wet roots are the quickest way to make this sunny little plant unhappy.

5. Hens and chicks

Hens and chicks are practically made for people who forget to water the far end of the yard. These small rosettes store water in their leaves and multiply by producing offsets, or the “chicks,” around the main plant.

They look great tucked into rock gardens, wall crevices, containers, and dry borders. They are not the fastest option for covering a large area, but they make a charming, low-maintenance patch where the soil is thin and dry.

6. Bearberry

Bearberry is an evergreen native ground cover with glossy leaves, spring flowers, and red berries later in the season. It stays low, handles cold well, and works beautifully on sunny slopes or sandy banks.

It grows slowly, which is both its virtue and its catch. You will not be mowing it, but you will need patience while it fills in. Bearberry is best for gardeners who want a long-term planting, not instant carpet coverage.

7. Woolly thyme

Woolly thyme has the same dry-soil toughness as creeping thyme, but its fuzzy gray-green leaves give it a softer, silvery look. It is especially pretty spilling over stones or edging a sunny path.

Like other thymes, it wants drainage more than fertilizer. Rich, wet soil may produce floppy growth instead of the dense mat you were hoping for.

8. Blue star creeper

For spots that are dry only after plants get established, blue star creeper can be a useful choice. It forms a fine, low carpet with tiny blue flowers and works between pavers or along garden edges.

It generally needs more consistent moisture than sedum or thyme, especially in intense heat. Consider it for part-sun areas with decent soil, not the most brutal corner of a blazing driveway.

9. Liriope

Liriope, sometimes called lilyturf, brings grassy texture to dry shade and part-shade areas. It produces purple flower spikes and handles roots, heat, and neglect better than many shade plants.

Choose clumping varieties if you want a contained border. Spreading types can cover ground quickly, but they may wander farther than planned in mild climates. That can be handy or annoying, depending on your relationship with garden maintenance.

10. Epimedium

Epimedium is a lovely answer for dry shade under trees, where grass usually gives up and leaves a dusty patch behind. Its heart-shaped leaves and delicate spring flowers look far more delicate than the plant actually is.

It spreads gradually and prefers soil enriched with compost or fallen leaves. It will tolerate dry conditions once settled, but it is not a plant for bone-dry, exposed sun.

11. Creeping juniper

Creeping juniper is a woody evergreen ground cover for sunny slopes, banks, and wide open areas. Its blue-green or gold-toned needles create year-round color, and its branching habit helps hold soil in place.

Give it room. Some varieties spread several feet across, which is excellent for erosion-prone slopes but less ideal in a narrow flower bed. It also performs best where air can circulate around it.

12. Golden oregano

Golden oregano brings bright chartreuse foliage to sunny dry beds and spills nicely over edges. It smells wonderful, looks lively against darker plants, and tolerates heat once established.

It is less dependable as a culinary oregano than the plain green kind, but that is not really the point here. Use it as an ornamental ground cover, and enjoy the bonus of brushing past it on a warm afternoon.

How to Plant Ground Cover So It Actually Fills In

A drought-tolerant plant still needs a fair start. Clear weeds thoroughly before planting, because young ground covers do not enjoy competing with crabgrass and mystery vines. Loosen compacted soil, then add compost only if the plant prefers richer soil. For sedums, thymes, and other dry-climate choices, too much rich material can be worse than not enough.

Space plants according to their mature spread, not the tiny pot size at the nursery. Tighter spacing gives quicker coverage but costs more and can create crowding later. Wider spacing saves money, but expect more weeding while the plants knit together.

Water deeply after planting, then continue watering regularly during the first season when rain is scarce. A slow soak encourages roots to travel downward. Frequent light sprinkling does the opposite, creating plants that panic the moment the weather gets rude.

Mulch can help, but use it wisely. Gravel or small stone mulch suits succulents and Mediterranean herbs such as thyme. Shredded bark or leaf mulch is usually better around shade-loving plants. Keep mulch away from crowns and stems so moisture does not linger where it should not.

A Few Mistakes Worth Skipping

Do not assume every low-growing plant belongs everywhere. Some popular ground covers spread aggressively or become difficult to remove, especially where winters are mild. Check whether a plant is considered invasive in your state before giving it a permanent address.

Also, resist the urge to fertilize your way to faster results. Many drought-tolerant ground covers evolved in lean soil. Excess fertilizer can make growth floppy, invite pests, and leave you with more trimming than you signed up for.

Finally, be realistic about traffic. A ground cover can soften a walkway, but most cannot replace a path. If people regularly cross the same spot, add stepping stones, gravel, or pavers and let the plants frame the route.

The nicest dry garden is not the one that looks perfect every day. It is the one that still looks alive, colorful, and intentional after a hot week when the hose stayed coiled up on the porch.