Ground Covers for Shade

Turfgrass thrives in sunlight, so what should you do with that shady part of lawn, where the grass won't grow? Consider planting a ground cover. Many ground covers grow well with little to no sun, including liriope, mondo grass, holly fern, and asiatic jasmine.

UF/IFAS Sites

• Liriope muscari (Aztecgrass, Lilyturf, Monkey grass)

UF/IFAS Publications

• Dryopteris erythrosora Autumn Fern, Japanese Shield Fern
• Florida/Holland/Israeli Ruscus Production and Use
• Gardening in the Shade
• Ground Covers for Shade: South Florida (PDF)
• Liriope muscari 'Evergreen Giant' Evergreen Giant Lilyturf
• Liriope muscari 'Variegata' Variegated Lilyturf, Variegated Liriope
• Liriope spicata Creeping Lilyturf
• North Florida Landscape Plants for Shaded Sites
• Ophiopogon japonicus, Mondo Grass
• Recycling the Rex Begonia (PDF)

Also on Gardening in a Minute

• Alternatives to Problematic Turf
• Asiatic Jasmine
• Ground Covers
• Holly Fern

Other Sites

• 10 Great Ground Covers for Shady Spots--Houston (TX) Chronicle
• Cyrtomium falcatum, Japanese Holly Fern--Floridata.com
• Ground Covers for Part to Full Shade--Fine Gardening
• Ground Covers for Shade--Fine Gardening
• Ground Covers for Shade--Mississippi State University Extension Service
• Liriope muscari--Floridata.com
• Liriope muscari--Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
• Ophiopogon japonicus 'Gyoku-ryu'--Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
• Ophiopogon japonicus, Mondo Grass--Floridata.com