Drought-Tolerant Ground Cover Plants

The best drought-tolerant ground covers for most hot, dry US yards are creeping thyme, low sedums, hardy ice plant and creeping juniper, with regional stars such as snow-in-summer in cold, dry areas and dymondia or trailing rosemary in mild Western climates. All of them need regular water for their first season to root in, then survive on little or no supplemental irrigation once established in the right zone. Match the plant to your sun, soil, slope and foot traffic, plant in spring or fall, and use gravel or mulch between plants until they knit together.

In this guide

1. What Makes a Ground Cover Drought Tolerant?
2. Best Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers at a Glance
3. Full-Sun Ground Covers for Hot, Dry Yards
4. Ground Covers for Dry Slopes
5. Ground Covers for Cold, Dry Climates
6. More Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers Worth Considering
7. How to Choose the Right One
8. Planting Drought-Tolerant Ground Cover
9. Watering and Care After Establishment
10. Common Mistakes With Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers
11. Frequently Asked Questions

What Makes a Ground Cover Drought Tolerant?

Drought-tolerant ground covers cope with dry spells through a few strategies: fleshy, water-storing leaves (sedums, ice plant), small, hairy or silvery leaves that reduce water loss (thyme, lamb’s ear, snow-in-summer), needle or scale foliage (creeping juniper), or deep roots that reach moisture below the surface. Many come from Mediterranean, mountain or semi-arid regions where summer rain is rare.

Drought tolerance is relative to your climate. A plant that thrives with no summer water in Denver may need occasional deep watering in Phoenix. The plants below are grouped by use, with approximate USDA zones; check local nursery advice for your region. For a broader look at choosing ground covers, see our ground cover plants guide, and for shrubs and perennials that handle dry conditions, our drought-tolerant plants list.

Best Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers at a Glance

Plant	Approx. zones	Height	Foot traffic	Best use
Creeping thyme	4–9	1–3 in	Light to moderate	Between pavers, lawn alternative, small areas
Sedum (stonecrop)	3–9, by species	2–6 in	Little	Rock gardens, poor soil, roofs and walls
Hardy ice plant (Delosperma)	5–10, by species	2–4 in	Little	Hot, sunny banks, gravel gardens
Creeping juniper	3–9	6–18 in	None	Slopes, large areas, erosion control
Snow-in-summer	3–7	6–8 in	Little	Cold, dry climates; walls and edges
Lamb’s ear	4–8	6–12 in	Little	Borders, dry beds
Hens and chicks (Sempervivum)	3–8	2–4 in	None	Rock gardens, crevices, containers
Trailing rosemary	7/8–10	1–2 ft	None	Walls, slopes in mild climates
Dymondia (silver carpet)	9–11	1–3 in	Moderate	Between stepping stones, Western coastal gardens

Full-Sun Ground Covers for Hot, Dry Yards

Creeping thyme

Creeping thyme forms a dense, fragrant mat of tiny leaves covered in pink, purple or white flowers in early summer, which bees love. It takes light foot traffic, so it works between stepping stones and as a small lawn replacement. It needs full sun and well-drained, even lean soil; rich, wet soil makes it short-lived. Space plugs about 6 to 12 inches apart. Our guide to a creeping thyme lawn covers that use in detail.

Sedum (stonecrop)

Low sedums are among the toughest succulent ground covers: two-row stonecrop (Sedum spurium), golden ‘Angelina’ and the tiny-leaved Sedum album types. They grow in thin, poor, rocky soil, survive cold winters, and spread by rooting stems. Most prefer full sun with some tolerating light shade. Space 8 to 12 inches apart, or simply scatter cuttings over bare soil in spring and keep them moist until they root.

Hardy ice plant

Delosperma species, sold as hardy ice plant, produce sheets of glossy daisy-like flowers in magenta, orange, yellow or white over succulent foliage. They thrive in heat and reflected sun and are excellent on dry banks and in gravel gardens. Excellent drainage is essential, especially in winter, when wet soil kills them faster than cold. Do not confuse them with Carpobrotus, the large coastal ice plant that is invasive in parts of California.

Dymondia and trailing rosemary

In mild Western climates, dymondia forms a flat silvery-green carpet that tolerates moderate foot traffic and very little water, making it popular between pavers in California. Trailing rosemary cascades over walls and banks, flowers in winter and spring, and needs almost no summer water once established in zones 8 and warmer.

Ground Covers for Dry Slopes

Slopes dry out faster than flat ground because water runs off before soaking in, and they are hard to mow. Ground covers that root along their stems or have deep, spreading roots help hold soil.

• Creeping juniper: the classic choice for large, sunny banks across most of the US. Cultivars range from flat ‘Blue Rug’ types to taller spreading forms. Space according to mature spread, often 3 to 6 feet apart, and mulch between.
• Hardy ice plant and sedum: good for smaller, sunny banks with sharp drainage.
• Trailing rosemary: excellent on warm Western slopes.
• Native options: many regions have native drought-tolerant ground covers, such as low manzanitas and ceanothus in California or prairie and plains species in the Midwest and Mountain West. Native plant societies and extension services publish regional lists.

On steeper banks, lay biodegradable jute or coir erosion netting first, cut X-shaped slits for each plant, and plant through it. Set plants in a staggered pattern so there is no straight channel for water to run down. Build a small soil basin on the downhill side of each plant to hold irrigation water while it establishes.

Ground Covers for Cold, Dry Climates

In the Mountain West and High Plains, where winters are cold and summers are dry, look for snow-in-summer, with silver foliage and white spring flowers; woolly thyme; hens and chicks; hardy ice plant species rated for your zone; and creeping phlox, which tolerates moderate dryness once established. Lamb’s ear works in many areas but can rot in humid summers. These plants need good drainage most of all; heavy clay holding winter moisture is a bigger threat to them than cold.

More Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers Worth Considering

• Woolly yarrow (Achillea tomentosa): a low, ferny, gray-green mat with yellow summer flowers, hardy in cold zones and tolerant of light foot traffic.
• Creeping phlox: spring sheets of pink, purple or white flowers; handles moderate dryness once established, though it looks best with occasional summer water.
• Kurapia: a sterile, vigorous ground cover used as a low-water lawn alternative in warm Western climates, where it needs far less water than turf once established.
• Lamb’s ear: soft, silver leaves for dry borders and edging. Choose non-flowering types such as ‘Silver Carpet’ for a tidier mat.
• Prostrate rosemary and lavender cotton (Santolina): aromatic, gray-leaved shrublets that act as ground covers on warm, dry banks in milder zones.

How to Choose the Right One

Start with four questions. First, how many hours of direct sun does the area get? Most drought-tolerant ground covers need at least six. Second, how well does the soil drain? Dig a hole a foot deep, fill it with water, and see whether it empties within a few hours; if not, avoid succulents or plant them on mounds. Third, will people or pets walk on it? Only a few, such as creeping thyme, woolly yarrow and dymondia, tolerate regular steps. Fourth, how large is the area? Junipers cover big banks economically; thyme and sedum are better for small spaces and edges, where you can afford close spacing.

Planting Drought-Tolerant Ground Cover

1. Time it right: plant in fall in mild and hot climates, giving roots the cool season to establish before summer; plant in spring in cold climates.
2. Clear weeds: remove existing grass and perennial weeds thoroughly. Weeds are harder to control once the ground cover is in.
3. Improve drainage: for succulents and Mediterranean plants, mix in coarse sand or fine gravel in heavy soil, or plant on a slight mound. Avoid heavy compost in lean-soil plants.
4. Space plants: follow the spacing for each plant. Closer spacing fills in sooner but costs more.
5. Mulch: use gravel or decomposed granite around succulents and Mediterranean plants; shredded bark works for junipers and most others.
6. Water to establish: water deeply after planting, then regularly through the first growing season, tapering off as plants spread.

Watering and Care After Establishment

For the first several weeks, water deeply once or twice a week in warm weather, letting the top inch of soil dry between waterings. Over the first season, stretch the interval. By the second year, most of these plants need water only during long droughts or extreme heat, and some need none at all in their ideal climate. Overwatering is a more common killer than drought for succulents and thyme.

Maintenance is light. Shear creeping thyme and snow-in-summer lightly after flowering to keep them dense. Pull weeds while the planting fills in. Avoid fertilizer for lean-soil plants; it produces soft, floppy growth. Junipers need no pruning beyond removing dead branches. If you are converting a larger area to low-water planting, our guide on how to xeriscape your yard covers design and irrigation, and the flowers and perennials hub has more plant profiles.

Common Mistakes With Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers

• Skipping establishment watering: new plants have small root systems and dry out like any other transplant.
• Planting succulents in heavy, wet soil: sedum, ice plant and hens and chicks rot far more often than they die of drought.
• Leaving bare soil between plants: weeds move in fast. Mulch until the ground cover closes the gaps.
• Putting them on the lawn sprinkler zone: regular lawn watering drowns low-water plants. Give them their own drip zone or none.
• Expecting instant coverage: plan for one to three seasons, or plant closer if you need faster results.