“This is a tried-and-true ground cover,” explains Silvasy. “It can handle various conditions and fixes nitrogen, so you won't have to fertilize.” Spring's little yellow blossoms are delicious.
Asiatic jasmine thrives in shaded spots like under a large oak tree where nothing else grows. Plant it away from significant foot traffic.
Sunny mimosa, or powderpuff mimosa, is a low-growing plant that spreads quickly. It can replace turf and be mowed and walked on.
Silvasy reports three butterfly species live on Florida's whimsically named frogfruit ground cover. You can walk and mow it; it's drought- and flood-tolerant.
When planted in groups, dwarf mondo grass's 4 to 6-inch tufts seem like a lawn. Other types grow to 2 feet tall. It is commonly confused with liriope, which is invasive in some sections of the state and discouraged.
Silvasy believes certain Florida groundcovers are less cold-tolerant than this fast-growing evergreen. Periwinkle blooms purple, blue, or white in spring and occasionally in summer and fall.
Holly fern's lustrous, 2–3-foot fronds in bunches add visual value. It requires little care and keeps green year-round in frost-free zones. It needs partial to full shade.
Shore juniper, a one- to two-foot-tall evergreen groundcover, grows low. Slow-growing but drought-tolerant once established, it needs full light.