8 Beautiful Plants That Double as Living Mulch to Suppress Weeds and Lock In Moisture

Closeup view of blooming thyme flowers in a garden — Credit:
igaguri_1 / Getty Images

Applying mulch to your garden helps prevent weeds, retain soil moisture, and minimize erosion. But if you don't want to spend the time and effort involved in purchasing and laying down bags of mulch every year, there are other effective options. Some plants act like a type of mulch, forming dense mats of foliage and flowers that have the same benefits as traditional mulch. Ahead, gardening experts share several beautiful plants that double as living mulch for weed control and moisture retention.

01 of 08

Sweet Woodruff

This charming ground cover is perfect for shady, whimsical gardens. "Sweet woodruff has soft, star-shaped leaves and delicate white flowers in spring," says Alexander Betz, landscape designer and founder of Plant by Number. "Sweet Woodruff thrives in shade and adds a lush carpet to woodland-style gardens."

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
Care requirements: Partial to full sun; well-draining soil

02 of 08

Creeping Juniper

A woody evergreen ground cover with attractive greenish-blue foliage, creeping juniper is great for covering sloped areas that may be subject to erosion, says Damon Abdi, assistant professor of landscape horticulture at Louisiana State University AgCenter. He adds that creeping juniper is often used by gardeners as a living mulch in hard-to-maintain areas.

Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 6 to 18 inches tall x 4 to 10 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining, somewhat dry soil

03 of 08

Creeping Thyme

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) produces small leaves that create a dense mat of cover, acting as a living mulch. The leaves give way to small tubular flowers in pinkish-purple hues in summer. "The bright flowers provide an aesthetic cover when in bloom, adding an interesting alternative," says Abdi.

Zones: 4 to 9
Size: 12 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; tolerant of various soil conditions

04 of 08

Bearberry

A native evergreen ground cover, bearberry produces leathery leaves and pinkish-white flowers followed by red berries. According to Betz, this plant is excellent for slopes where it acts as a living mulch by controlling erosion.

Zones: 2 to 6
Size: 6 to 12 inches tall 3 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; sandy, acidic soil

Low-Growing Sedum

Closeup of succulent plants forming a dense textured arrangement — Katsiaryna Yeudakimava / Getty Images

Low-growing sedum produces succulent-like plants that spread in mats and are perfect for rock gardens, sunny borders, and green roofs, says Betz. They require very little water, making them a wonderful addition to low-maintenance gardens and drought-prone regions.

Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 2 to 6 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; dry, poor to average soil

06 of 08

Pussytoes

A dense patch of green plants with small rounded overlapping leaves — Horst Mahr / Getty Images

Known for its cat paw-like flowers (hence its name) and velvety leaves, this ground cover plant is native to the U.S. It’s drought-tolerant and looks beautiful as a living mulch in naturalized areas.

Zones: 3 to 8
Size: 3 to 6 inches tall x 6 to 12 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; dry, well-draining soil

07 of 08

Wild Ginger

Wild ginger provides a low mat in shady areas of the garden, says Betz. Its broad, heart-shaped leaves create a lush living mulch in the garden. Like pussytoes, this plant performs well in naturalized beds.

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Full to partial shade; rich, moist soil

08 of 08

Allegheny Spurge

A dense patch of leafy green plants growing under a tree — Awinch1001 / CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain

Allegheny spurge is a flowering perennial regional to the southeast. “A U.S. native alternative to Japanese Pachysandra, allegheny spurge is a semi-evergreen that features mottled foliage and fragrant bottlebrush flowers,” says Betz.