When looking to add splashes of color to a garden or landscape, purple ground cover plants are an excellent choice. Not only do they provide vivid purple hues, but as ground covers, they also work well for suppressing weeds, preventing soil erosion, and adding visual interest.
Page Contents
- 1 Why Use Purple Ground Covers
- 2 Popular Purple Ground Cover Plants
- 3 Factoring in Your Location
- 4 Growing Conditions for Purple Ground Covers
- 5 Using Purple Ground Covers in the Landscape
- 6 Caring for Purple Ground Covers
- 7 Problems With Purple Ground Covers
- 8 Ideal Uses of Purple Ground Covers
- 9 Conclusion
Why Use Purple Ground Covers
There are several benefits to using purple ground cover plants:
- Add striking color – Vibrant purple foliage provides an eye-catching pop of color in the garden.
- Suppress weeds – Dense spreading purple ground covers compete with weeds for space and resources, helping to reduce maintenance.
- Prevent erosion – The roots and stems of ground covers hold soil in place, preventing erosion on slopes and banks.
- Attract pollinators – Many purple flowering ground covers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
- Fill space – Ground covers are useful for filling in awkward empty spots and suppressing weeds.
- Provide visual interest – Texture, color, and shape create appealing visual elements in the landscape.
With their vibrant foliage and spreading growth habit, purple ground covers offer an easy and attractive way to add color while serving practical functions in the landscape.
Popular Purple Ground Cover Plants
Many ground covers come in purple varieties. Some of the most popular purple ground cover plants include:
Purple Heart
Purple heart (Trandescantia pallida) is a low-growing tender perennial with fuzzy, purple, lance-shaped leaves that reach 2-4 inches in height. An easy-to-grow plant, it spreads readily by creeping stems that root at the nodes. Purple heart thrives in full sun with moderate watering needs, tolerating heat and some foot traffic. It adds color between pavers and in rock gardens.
Bugleweed
Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) is a fast-spreading perennial ground cover, reaching 2-6 inches tall. Its oval leaves emerge burgundy-purple in spring, turning darker green with purple highlights in summer. Blue flower spikes bloom in spring and summer. This aggressive grower thrives in full sun to part shade and varied soil types. It makes a good lawn substitute.
Purple Dragon Deadnettle
Purple dragon deadnettle (Lamium maculatum) grows 4-8 inches tall with leaves of silver markings on green and stems of purple-pink. The purple and pink snapdragon-like flowers bloom from spring into fall. It grows well in full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil. This spreading ground cover looks attractive between stepping stones.
Purple Wintercreeper
Purple wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) is an evergreen vining shrub reaching 3-6 inches tall. Its dark green leaves turn purple in winter. Tiny white flowers bloom in summer. An aggressive spreader, it grows well in sun or shade and nearly any soil. Use it on banks for erosion control. The stems can climb walls and tree trunks.
Creeping Phlox
Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a popular low-growing perennial ground cover reaching 6 inches tall. It forms a carpet of needle-like green leaves year-round. From spring to early summer it produces colorful flowers including purple shades. It thrives in full sun with well-drained soil. Use it in rock gardens, on slopes, and in tree rings.
Purple Leaf Wintercreeper
Purple leaf wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) grows up to 3 feet tall with a spreading form. Its dark purple rounded leaves turn green in summer. Tiny white flowers bloom in summer. An aggressive spreader, it tolerates full sun or shade. Use it as a large-scale ground cover on slopes and to trail over walls.
Serbian Bellflower
Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana) is a low-growing perennial reaching 6-12 inches tall. Heart-shaped green leaves form a mat covered in star-shaped lavender-blue flowers for much of summer. It grows well in full sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Use it between pavers and in rock gardens.
Bishop’s Weed
Bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podagraria) is an aggressive perennial ground cover that reaches 8-12 inches tall. Its leaves emerge purple-red in spring then turn green. White flowers bloom from late spring into summer. It tolerates full sun or shade and various soil types. This fast spreader makes a good ground cover but can be invasive.
Periwinkle
Periwinkle (Vinca minor) is an evergreen trailing vine, reaching 6-12 inches tall. Its dark green leaves sometimes display white margins. Blue or purple flowers appear in spring. A fast growing, aggressive spreader, it tolerates full sun or shade and most soils. Use it on slopes and woodland gardens where little else grows.
Dead Nettle
Dead nettle (Lamium) refers to a group of low-growing spreading perennials reaching 4-8 inches tall. Silver-marked green leaves form a mat covered in hooded flowers in pink, purple, yellow, and white starting in late spring. Plants tolerate part shade to full shade and moist soil. Use them as an attractive ground cover.
Sweet Woodruff
Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is a perennial ground cover growing 6-12 inches tall. Clusters of small fragrant white star-shaped flowers bloom in spring. The leaves are lance-shaped, whorled, and emerald green with purple undersides. It thrives in part to full shade. When cut, dried leaves emit a sweet hay aroma. Use it as a shade ground cover.
Purple Coneflower
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a popular perennial reaching 1-3 feet tall with a spreading habit. Its leaves are lance-shaped, hairy, and medium green. Showy daisy-like purple flowers bloom from early to midsummer. It grows best in full sun and moderately moist, well-drained soil. Use it in borders, wildflower meadows, and native plant gardens.
Garden Phlox
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) grows 1-3 feet tall in clumps with a spreading, vining form. Its leaves are lance-shaped, green to dark green, and 2-6 inches long. Large, fragrant flower clusters come in many colors including purple from early summer to fall. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and fertile, moist, well-drained soil.
Factoring in Your Location
When selecting purple ground covers, it’s important to consider your USDA Hardiness Zone to ensure the plants will thrive in your climate. Some purple ground covers that grow well in certain regions include:
| Zone | Purple Ground Covers |
|---|---|
| Zones 3-8 | Bugleweed, Creeping Phlox, Periwinkle |
| Zones 4-9 | Purple Leaf Wintercreeper, Dead Nettle, Garden Phlox |
| Zones 5-10 | Serbian Bellflower, Purple Coneflower |
| Zones 7-11 | Purple Heart, Purple Wintercreeper |
| Zones 8-10 | Purple Dragon Deadnettle |
Check your specific zone and microclimate to choose the best purple ground covers for your location.
Growing Conditions for Purple Ground Covers
While purple ground covers are relatively low maintenance, providing the right growing conditions will help the plants thrive:
- Sunlight: Most purple ground covers grow best in full sun to partial shade. Avoid excessively shady spots.
- Soil: Well-drained soil with average to high fertility is ideal. Improve drainage in soggy areas.
- Water: Water plants regularly until established, then only during dry periods. Take care not to overwater.
- Maintenance: Mulch around plants to suppress weeds. Trim back aggressive spreaders to contain them. Remove spent flowers.
Using Purple Ground Covers in the Landscape
Purple ground covers provide vivid color and visual interest when incorporated artfully into the landscape. Consider using them in these popular ways:
- As edging along walkways, fences, and garden beds
- Between stepping stones or pavers
- In rock gardens and on slopes or banks
- Under trees and shrubs
- To fill awkward empty spaces and suppress weeds
- In pollinator and butterfly gardens
- In container plantings and hanging baskets
With their diversity of colors, textures, and growth habits, purple ground covers offer many possibilities. Mix varieties together or with green ground covers for multi-colored carpets and mats of foliage and flowers.
Caring for Purple Ground Covers
Proper care will keep your purple ground covers looking their best:
- Watering: Water whenever the top few inches of soil become dry. Avoid overwatering.
- Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring and again midsummer if needed.
- Pruning: Trim back vigorous growers in spring to control spread. Remove dead or damaged growth as needed.
- Weeding: Pull or hoe weeds when young. Apply mulch around plants to suppress weeds.
- Winter care: Cut back dead tops of perennials in late fall. Apply winter mulch if appropriate.
With routine care focused on watering, fertilizing, pruning, and weeding, purple ground covers will thrive with minimal maintenance required.
Problems With Purple Ground Covers
Purple ground covers are relatively problem free, but may encounter these common issues:
- Invasive spread – Aggressive types like bishop’s weed may spread out of control. Manage spread by pruning roots and stems.
- Foliage damage – Slugs and snails may chew holes in leaves overnight. Pick them off and use deterrents when needed.
- Wilting – Overwatering can cause root rot leading to wilting. Allow soil to dry between waterings.
- Leggy growth – Too much shade results in weak, leggy growth. Move plants or prune back as needed.
- Failure to bloom – Extreme heat and drought stress can prevent flowering. Provide adequate water.
Catch issues early and adjust care to resolve problems. Remove and replace plants that decline or fail to thrive in a given location.
Ideal Uses of Purple Ground Covers
With their vivid foliage colors and low-maintenance nature, purple ground covers are ideal for many landscape situations:
- Filling in between stepping stones or pavers
- Planting on slopes and banks for erosion control
- Underplanting roses, shrubs, trees, and ornamental grasses
- Edging vegetable gardens, flower beds, walkways, and fences
- Softening hardscape elements like fences, walls, and foundations
- Adding color in rock gardens, perennial beds, and along paths
- Replacing turf grass in whole or in part to reduce mowing and maintenance
With multiple sizes and growth habits available, there is a purple ground cover suitable for virtually any location you wish to add vivid purple color.
Conclusion
Purple ground cover plants provide a stunning way to blanket the landscape in rich color while serving practical functions. Choose from hardy perennials like creeping phlox, aggressive spreaders like periwinkle, or annuals like purple heart to find the right plant for your location. Provide the proper growing conditions and routine care for thriving purple ground covers that enhance the landscape with vivid beauty.
