16 Perfect Florida Ground Cover Plants

Florida Ground Cover Plants

Now that you have planted all of your trees and shrubs in your garden in Florida, you need some ground cover to complete the look. Not all ground cover will be able to grow in the hot, humid atmosphere that you get in the state of Florida, but there are some amazing options that will really make your garden pop.

This list includes 16 options that will be perfect for most gardens so that you can choose the best plant to cover the ground or even the walls in your garden.

Asiatic Jasmine (Jasmine minima)

Asiatic-Jasmine-(Jasmine-minima)

This is a low-maintenance ground cover that is easy to care for. It grows between six and 18 inches tall, and it has a width of three feet. It will tolerate most growing conditions, but it will do best in full sun, well-drained soil, and little water.

Baby Sun Rose

Baby-Sun-Rose

The baby sun rose is a ground cover that will even cascade down a wall to create a lovely backdrop in your garden. It prefers to grow in full sun and soil that drains well. It does not need much water because it’s drought-tolerant. It is also salt-tolerant as well.

Beach Sunflower

The beach sunflower is a plant that likes dry areas to grow. It is a plant that is ideal at attracting butterflies, and it can tolerate salt in the air as well. It prefers to grow in sandy, well-drained soil and full-sun conditions.

Coral Creeper

Coral-Creeper

The coral creeper is a fast-growing plant that will quickly become more than an inch in height. It makes an ideal ground cover, and it has coral-orange blooms that are trumpet-shaped. It will do well in partial to full sun.

Creeping Fig (Ficus repens)

Creeping-Fig-(Ficus-repens)

The creeping fig is a unique plant that can be used as a ground cover or a vine to cover a wall or a fence. It needs full to partial sun to grow, and it can have a width of up to three feet, which means that it will spread quickly.

Dwarf Chenille

Dwarf-Chenille

Chenille is a plant that has fuzzy red flowers that will stand out as a ground cover. It will do best in full to partial sun, but it can handle a bit of shade as well. It looks incredible cascading down a wall, and the more sun it gets, the redder the blooms will be.

Dwarf Oyster Plant

Dwarf-Oyster-Plant

This plant has green and purple foliage that will make your garden stand out. It is a slow-spreading ground cover that prefers partial shade. The sap of the plant is toxic, so it may be irritating to the skin.

Golden Pothos

Golden-Pothos

This is a ground cover that can also be used as a ground cover in your garden. It will do well in full sun, partial sun, or full shade. It requires well-drained soil that is slightly acidic as well. This plant is typically a pest-free plant that’s easy to grow.

Ice Plant

Ice-Plant

Ice plant is a ground cover that required very little care to thrive. It is tolerant of heat, salt, and drought, so it will do well in Florida temperatures. It also likes to grow in full-sun conditions. The blooms are red or violet on the dark green foliage.

Peperomia

Peperomia

This is a small plant that only grows to be about six inches tall, so it may be an excellent ground cover option. It needs bright sunlight to grow, but it can do well with some shade. Slightly acidic soil is best, but it also needs to be well-draining to thrive. For more information on growing peperomia, see our growing guide here.

Perennial Peanut

Perennial-Peanut

The perennial peanut is a plant that will easily replace grass and create an easy to care for ground cover that you will adore. It is an option that will do best in full sun; in shaded areas, the plant will not grow to be as thick.

Purple Queen

Purple-Queen

If you need more purple in your garden, the purple queen is an option to consider. The leaves, the stems, and even the blooms are shades of purple. It will wander quickly, so you will have to trim and maintain this ground cover so that it stays where you want it.

Railroad Vine

Railroad-Vine

This is a very quick growing ground cover that will create bright pink blooms in the morning that will close up by mid-afternoon. It is salt-tolerant, so it can easily grow near Florida beaches. It can grow to be 16 inches in height. It loves full sun and sandy soil.

Ruella – dwarf Mexican Petunia

Ruella - dwarf-Mexican-Petunia

Ruellia is a plant that loves growing in the shade, but it is designed to be heat tolerant, so it can withstand being in the direct Florida sunlight. It needs to grow in moist conditions, but it also needs well-draining soil so that it does not get root rot.

Sunshine Mimosa

Sunshine-Mimosa

This is a fast-growing ground cover that will shrink away from your touch. It likes to grow in full to partial sun, and it tends to bloom during the warmest months of the year. They need to be watered frequently and will grow in any type of soil that is well-draining.

Sweet Potato Vine

Sweet-Potato-Vine

The sweet potato vine only has a height of up to 16 inches and a width that can grow to be up to 10 feet in length, which makes it an excellent ground cover. It will grow best when it gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Hot and humid conditions are preferred, so nighttime temperatures should not drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more information on Florida Gardening, see the following posts below;

>> 24 Florida Flowering Trees (Photos)

>> 25 Plants that Thrive in Florida Shade

>> 19 Perfect Florida Perennials