34 ground covers for the blazing sun

Ground covers for the blazing sun not only have to be able to cope with the fact that the location is sunny. Little water and great heat are also everyday conditions for them. Which plants are suitable?

selection criteria

If the location is sunny or completely unshaded in direct sunlight, this places special demands on the plants. Not only the burning light can be problematic. The following factors should also play a role in the planting decision:

substrate

Sandy or loamy? In hot, dry weather, loamy soil can become caked and dry out enough to cause cracks. Even when it rains, the substrate hardly absorbs any water until it is soaked on the surface. In return, it can store moisture longer. Sandy soil, on the other hand, is more permeable. Although it drains absorbed water faster, it also absorbs it faster at extreme temperatures. Not all plants are equally suited to such varied conditions.

humidity and precipitation

How much precipitation falls depends not only on the season, but also on the respective region. Again, not every plant is suitable for every area. When choosing, care should therefore be taken to ensure that the plants are suitable for the respective region. Otherwise, the cost of casting is very high. This is especially true when no automatic irrigation system can be installed, such as when planting a grave or ground cover in an allotment garden.

growth rate

If the ground is to be covered quickly, appropriate plant species must be selected. Because the resistant plants in particular are usually rather slow to sprout.

hardiness

Hardy ground covers for the sun are not automatically hardy or frost-resistant. However, since they are usually cultivated outdoors all year round, either hardy plants have to be selected or new plants have to be planted every year.

annual or perennial

If you don't want to go to the effort of planting beds, paths or graves every year, you should opt for perennial species. On the other hand, if variety is desired, annual ground covers are the better choice.

groundcover with A

Acaena microphylla – prickly nuts

• Height five to ten centimeters
• Flowering period from June to July
• flower color white
• undemanding and easy to care for
• hardy
• Synonym: copper carpet

Ajuga reptans – crawling bugle

• Growth height about 15 centimeters
• Flowering time April to August
• Flower color blue to blue-violet
• need humus rich, well drained soil
• hardy

Alchemilla mollis – Soft woman's coat

• reaches a fairly large height of up to 30 or even 50 centimeters
• Flowering period June to October
• yellowish-green flower color and interesting flower shape
• unusual decorative leaf shape
• hardy

Anacycle depressus – African Ring Basket

• five to ten inches high
• forms cushions
• Flowering period from May to September
• Flower color pink with white edges and yellow center
• hardy
• Synonyms: Morocco chamomile, perennial Bertram

Antennaria dioica – cat paw

• Growth height and width each 15 to 20 centimeters
• Flowering period from May to June
• Flower color pink
• attracts butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects
• hardy

Arenaria Montana – Mountain Chickweed

• up to 15 centimeters high
• extremely easy to care for
• numerous small, white flowers
• Flowering time May to July
• hardy
• very resistant to drought

Astilbe chinensis var. pumila – Dwarf spiers

• Growth height of up to 20 centimeters
• Flowering period August to September
• blooms in pink
• little water and full sun are not a problem
• hardy

Aubrieta – blue pillow

• Growth height of 20 to 30 centimeters
• Flowering time April to June, depending on the variety or cultivar
• Flower color blue
• forms a particularly large number of flowers and grows very densely
• hardy and evergreen

Azorella trifurcata 'Nana' – Andean cushion

• reaches heights of only three centimeters
• Flowering period from May to June
• Flower color light yellow
• very dense growing
• easy to care for and undemanding
• hardy and evergreen

ground cover with C

Campanula poscharskyana – cushion bellflower

• grows about 15 to 20 centimeters high
• Flowering period from June to September
• Flower color blue
• also suitable as a traffic light plant and for tubs because it overhangs
• hardy but only partly wintergreen

Cerastium tomentosum – Felty tomentosum

• up to ten centimeters high
• evergreen and tolerant of frost
• Flowering period from May to June
• flower color white
• requires loose, well-drained substrate

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides – Chinese leadwort

• grows between 20 and 25 centimeters
• Flowering period from August to October
• azure flowers
• ideal for heavily calcareous soils
• frost hardy down to -23 °C
• Synonyms: creeping horn scar

Cornus canadensis – Carpet Dogwood

• reaches a height of up to 20 centimeters
• Flowering period from May to June
• Flower color White to light red
• Foliage takes on colorful autumn colors
• good for dry soils
• Location must be sunny
• hardy
• Synonyms: Canadian Dogwood

Cotoneaster dammeri – Carpet Cotoneaster

• reaches heights between 10 and 15 centimeters
• Flowering period from May to June
• Flower color white
• forms decorative fruits that remain on the branches until spring
• requires little water
• hardy

Cotula potentillina – Cinquefoil Feather Carpet

• Growth height only five to ten centimeters, growth width 30 to 40 centimeters
• Flowering time July to August
• Flower color light yellow
• sprout extremely quickly and can thus quickly cover larger areas
• tolerates drought very well
• evergreen and hardy

Cotula squalida – feather pads

• reaches heights of up to
• Flowering period from June to August
• Flower color yellow
• Location can be sunny to semi-shady
• requires little water
• hardy

cyclamen – cyclamen

• Growth height of ten to 15 centimeters
• Flowering time September to November
• Flower color from white to pink to dark red and purple tones
• durable and easy to care for
• some varieties are hardy

Ground cover from D to L

Delosperma cooperi – Red Ice Plant

• about ten to fifteen centimeters high
• Flowering time mainly between May and June, but possible continuously until October
• need sufficient water and fertilizer for flowering
• vigorous
• Flowers only open at midday
• Flower color pink to purple with a white center
• hardy

Dianthus cultivars – cushion carnations

• ground-covering variants up to 20 centimeters
• well suited for sandy soils
• Flowering time May to September
• Flower colors White, pink, red, blue, violet and multicolored variants
• hardy

geranium – cranesbill

• Growth height varies between 15 and 100 centimeters depending on the species
• Flowering time is very long and extends from May to October
• Flower color white, pink, red, violet and blue are possible
• tolerates dry conditions well
• absolutely hardy

helianthemum – sunroses

• Growth height of up to 20 centimeters
• Flowering period from May to August
• Flower color yellow, pink or red
• prefer humus rich substrate
• hardy and semi-evergreen

Isotoma fluviatilis – fun

• Growth height of up to 15 centimeters, growth width of up to 60 centimeters
• Flowering time from April to September
• Flower color blue
• prefers well drained, loose soil
• hardy
• Synonyms: blue bob haircut

Lithodora diffusa – stone seed

• Growth height 15 to 20 centimeters, growth width 20 to 30 centimeters
• Flowering time from April to July
• Flower color white to gentian blue
• decorative funnel-shaped flowers
• evergreen and hardy

Lobularia maritima – Beach Silverweed

• Growth height of up to twelve centimeters
• Flowering period from June to September
• numerous flower colors, depending on the variety
• fast and dense growing, therefore ideal for larger areas
• hardy
• Synonyms: king carpet

Ground cover from O to V

Origanum vulgare – oregano

• Growth height ten to 15 centimeters
• Flowering period from June to July
• golden yellow flower color
• attracts bees
• smells like lemons
• hardy
• Synonyms: upholstery

Phlox subulata – Carpet phlox

• about ten inches high
• profuse flowering from April to June
• Flower Colors White, Purple, Red, Pink, Blue
• The substrate should be sandy and well drained
• hardy

Potentilla fruticosa – cinquefoil

• depending on the variety, growth height of up to 30 or up to 130 centimeters
• Flowering period June to October
• Flower colors white, yellow, salmon
• compact growth
• lush carpet of flowers
• hardy

Salvia nemorosa – steppe sage

• up to 40 centimeters high
• cushion-forming variant of sage
• tolerates sun and drought without any problems
• Flowering period June to September
• Flower color bluish-purple

Sedum acre – Spicy stonecrop

• Growth height of five to ten centimeters
• Flowering time June to July
• Flower color yellow
• ideal for nutrient-poor soils
• hardy

Silene schafta – Autumn Catchfly

• Growth height of only eight to twelve centimetres, growth width of 20 to 25 centimetres
• Flowering period from August to October
• Flower color pink
• filigree and slow growth
• evergreen and hardy

Teucrium chamaedrys – Noble Germander

• up to 25 centimeters high
• Flowering time from June to August
• Flower color pink to purple
• prefers well drained, sandy soil
• hardy

Thymus citriodorus 'Aureus' – Lemon Thyme

• Growth height of ten to 15 centimeters
• Flowering period from June to July
• Flower color light pink
• edible and can be used as a spice
• hardy and evergreen

Veronica – speedwell

• up to ten centimeters high
• ideal for drought and blazing sun
• Flowering time between May and August, depending on the species
• Flower colors pink, pink, violet, blue
• hardy

Vinca minor – periwinkle

• Height of growth 15 to 20 centimeters, growth width of 30 to 40 centimeters
• Flowering time March to June
• Flower color white, light blue or purple
• bears fruit from June to July
• hardy

Learn more about perennials