Ground covers provide important food sources for bees and beautify hard-to-plant areas. Species that grow in full sun have special adaptations. There are evergreen or deciduous carpet plants with compact and low or tall growth forms

frequently asked Questions

Are ground covers suitable for full sun?

There are so-called sun or light plants that are adapted to locations with intense solar radiation. They grow on rocks and dry grassland, in heaths and open fields. Because of their undemanding nature, they are suitable for planting on graves or walls.

Ground cover for the sun - features:

  • small and coarse leaves
  • Foliage often hairy or waxy
  • contain essential carotenoids and enzymes
  • more stomata

Are there evergreen ground covers for the sun?

Plants beautify bare soil all year round if they are evergreen. Although the groundcovers are suitable for the blazing sun, they are heavily stressed by the winter sun and frost. Water the carpet formers on frost-free days. Otherwise they lose their leaves.

Ground cover in the sun - evergreen:

  • Aubrieta: blue cushion hybrid
  • Vinca Small periwinkle
  • Saxifraga: Padded Saxifrage
  • sedum: Carpet Bacopa, Stonecrop, Blue-grey Bacopa

What is the water requirement?

There are numerous ground covers that thrive in sun and require little water. Such plants prefer to grow in mild regions on poor and dry soil. They lignify or store water through evergreen leaves. Many Mediterranean herbs get by with small amounts of water.

Are ground covers suitable for slope stabilization?

Because of their tolerance to heat and drought, many species can be planted on slopes. They prevent soil erosion because their root system secures the soil. The foliage reduces water evaporation and the soil stays moist longer. Weeds are suppressed by suitable ground covers that thrive under the sun on the slope.

Which ground covers in the sun are hardy?

Native species such as periwinkle, stonecrop, thyme or Wollziest are hardy. In mountains or Nordic countries, alpine species thrive under the blazing sun and retreat to the ground during the winter. They include stalkless catchfly, diapensia, chamois heath or mountain avens.

What are sun flowering ground covers?

Except for grasses, all flowering plants are attractively flowering for such locations. They belong to different plant families and develop lip-shaped, cup-shaped or star-shaped flowers. Their color palette ranges from white and yellow to red, blue and violet.

Particularly beautiful species:

  • cushion phlox
  • porcelain stars
  • ice plant

How tall do sun-loving groundcovers grow?

The growth height of a plant is influenced by environmental conditions. The more extreme the location, the lower the species grow. Decisive factors are wind and temperature. Therefore, alpine plants form dense cushions or carpets just above the soil surface, while sheltered perennials grow taller.

Orientation aid for growth heights:

  • evergreen alpine plants: five to ten centimeters
  • herbaceous lowland plants: ten to twenty centimeters
  • sheltered tall perennials: more than 20 centimeters

What do groundcovers need in the sun?

Plants for the blazing sun are often undemanding. They usually need a shallow layer of topsoil where they can get nutrients. Such ground covers thrive on poor and calcareous or moderately nutrient-rich soil. Many like it dry, sandy-gravelly and tolerate extreme temperature fluctuations.

Suitable habitats:

  • on roofs
  • between paving slabs
  • on gravel or scree surfaces
  • on sandy slopes or rocky slopes

Are ground covers suitable for single plantings?

Native ground cover plants in sunny locations are usually not very competitive and therefore cannot be found individually. Sunny beds are very dynamic and adapt to external conditions. A planting of one species is shaped over time by migratory species. Before planting, make sure you choose the right species.

Competitive Types for Standalone:

  • Hypericum calycinum - St. John's wort
  • Geranium macrorrhizum - Balkan cranesbill
  • Ceratostigma plumbaginoides - Chinese leadwort

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