This is a short list on purpose. A succulent that genuinely works as ground cover has to stay low, spread sideways rather than upward, and close ranks fast enough to shade out weeds. Most of the nursery is rosette or trunk forming and does not do that, so rather than pad the page we have kept it to the plants that actually mat or trail.
Ground cover succulents pair well with decomposed granite or a fine gravel, which holds the soil in place while the plants fill in and keeps the stems off wet ground. Spacing is the decision that matters: check the mature width and plant at roughly two thirds of it if you want closure in two seasons. On a slope, read the erosion control plants page as well, since spread and root binding are different jobs.
Dónde suelen ir las plantas de esta página y qué ver después.
A hanging basket cascade
Trailing stems of Epiphyllum and similar plants drape naturally over the rim of a hanging basket, giving a cascading look without any training or staking needed.
Trailing succulents planted along the edge of a decomposed granite path spill over the border between stone and bed, softening the line without narrowing the walkway.
Mat forming and trailing succulents both work in a vertical wall planter, where trailing stems hang down the face and matting types fill the pockets around them.
Ground cover succulents planted at the base of taller, upright succulents fill the open soil between larger specimens without competing for the same rooting depth.
Cómo elegir, qué revisar antes de ordenar y cómo se entregan los pedidos de plantas.
A plant only earns a spot on this page if it spreads outward along the ground and closes over bare soil, rather than growing into an upright rosette or a trunk the way most of the nursery does. The short list here includes trailing forms of Epiphyllum and a low, spreading form of Portulacaria afra, picked because they hold that habit in the ground, not just in a hanging pot. Most take part sun to shade rather than full sun, and water need runs from low to moderate. Sizes run from small pots to gallon containers, and mature spread is listed on each product page.
Trailing versus mat forming habit
Trailing succulents such as Epiphyllum root loosely where a stem segment touches soil and spread outward from many points at once, while a true mat forming plant grows low and dense from a single root system without needing that rooting-in-place. Portulacaria afra in its low, spreading selection does both to some degree, sending stems across the ground that eventually thicken and take root. Either habit works for covering bare soil, though a trailing plant usually needs occasional trimming to keep it from climbing a nearby wall, fence or tree trunk instead of staying flat.
Ground cover succulents in a gravel bed
Planting succulent ground cover into gaps within a decomposed granite or gravel bed, rather than a solid area of bare soil, keeps the lowest stems raised above standing moisture after rain, which lowers the chance of rot at the base. As the plant spreads, it grows out over the surrounding stone rather than needing the whole bed to be soil. On a slope, erosion control plants are a better fit for anchoring the grade itself, since most succulent ground cover has a shallow, spreading root system built for surface coverage rather than binding a hillside.
Spacing for full coverage
Space plants closer than their mature width if faster coverage matters more than a lower plant count
Give new plantings extra water for the first season while stems reach out and root along the ground
Bright shade or part sun suits most of this group better than a full day of direct sun
Trim stems that reach past the bed edge before they root into a lawn, path or fence line
A bed of ground cover succulents usually needs a full growing season or more to close over, since these plants fill in by extending stems outward rather than by a single root system spreading underneath the whole area at once.
Succulent ground cover is a succulent that spreads sideways or trails along the ground rather than growing upward into a rosette or a trunk, closing over open soil as it spreads. Most succulents sold in nurseries are rosette or trunk forming and do not spread this way, which is why true ground cover succulents are a small group rather than most of what is labeled low growing. Here that means trailing Epiphyllum and a low growing Portulacaria afra, chosen because they actually mat or trail rather than clump in place.
Ground cover succulents spread sideways by trailing or rooting along their stems, while many other low growing succulents simply stay compact and clump in one spot without spreading outward. A compact rosette a few inches wide can sit in a rock garden for years without covering more ground, while a true ground cover succulent gradually closes the gaps around it. That difference in habit, not just size, is why this list stays short and focused on plants that growers confirm actually spread rather than every small succulent in the catalog.
Space ground cover succulents closer than their full mature width if you want the bed to close over in about two growing seasons rather than waiting on wider spacing. Trailing stems root in as they extend, so a slightly tighter planting fills gaps faster than spacing plants at their full mature width and waiting for them to reach it. Water more often during the first season while new stems take root, then taper off once the bed has filled in and established.
Some succulent ground cover works on a gentle slope, since spreading stems can knit together and shade the soil surface, but most of these plants have a shallow root system built for spreading rather than the deeper roots that anchor soil on a steep or actively eroding grade. For real erosion control on a hillside, pair ground cover succulents with deeper rooted shrubs or agave rather than relying on spread alone. Check the erosion control plants page for options built specifically for slope planting.
No, most of the ground cover succulents on this page are rated for part sun to shade rather than all day full sun, unlike many other succulents in the nursery. That makes them a better fit for a bed under high tree canopy or on the shaded side of a wall than for open desert exposure. A little direct morning sun is fine for most of this group, but hot afternoon sun for a full day can stress trailing forms used to filtered light in their native habitat.
Ground cover succulents work well planted into gaps in a gravel or decomposed granite bed, which keeps trailing stems off wet soil and holds the ground in place while the plants spread to cover it. They also work at the base of taller succulents, agave or shrubs, filling the open ground between larger specimens without competing for the same root depth. Avoid planting them where they will spread into a lawn or a path, since trimming spreading stems back is easier before they root in than after.
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Succulent ground cover on this page leans frost tender as a group, unlike many upright succulents bred for drier, colder climates, so a hard freeze can damage or kill exposed stems in an open bed. Planting these trailing forms in a spot with some overhead cover, such as under a tree canopy or near a wall that holds a little warmth, reduces frost exposure compared to a wide open bed. In Rosamond's high desert winters, some gardeners treat this group more like a warm-season ground cover and expect some dieback in a hard year, while coastal and Central Valley plantings usually come through with less damage. Check the frost tolerance noted on each product page before planting a large bed in a cold-prone spot.
Ground cover for shade under trees and walls
Ground cover for shade on this page works well under tree canopy, along the north side of a wall, or on a covered patio, since most of this group is rated for part sun to bright shade rather than full sun exposure. A spot with a few hours of morning sun and shade for the rest of the day usually suits these plants better than deep, all-day shade, which can make trailing stems stretch and thin as they reach for light. Several of these plants are also sold as indoor or patio specimens in a bright room, which reflects the same shade preference carried indoors. See our shade plants collection for more options suited to low light.
Trailing succulents for a hanging basket or wall pot
Trailing succulents such as Epiphyllum do not have to stay on the ground: the same stems that spread as ground cover also drape well over the edge of a hanging basket or a wall-mounted pot, where the growth habit reads as a cascade rather than a mat. A basket lets a trailing succulent's stems hang clear of the soil entirely, which lowers the rot risk that comes from ground contact in a wet spot. Give a hanging planting the same part sun to bright shade exposure as a ground planting, since moving the same plant into a hot, exposed spot overhead can stress it the same way full sun would at ground level.
Entrega y Recogida
Ground Cover Succulents con Entrega en California y el Suroeste
Pida ground cover succulents para recogida en nuestros depósitos del Valle Central o Antelope Valley, o entrega a granel en toda California — además de Nevada, Arizona y Colorado. Díganos su código postal y proyecto y le cotizaremos un precio con entrega.
