Ground Cover Plants with White Flowers (With Pictures) – Identification Guide
Ground cover plants with white flowers are ideal for creating a floral mat in beautiful shades of white. However, white-flowering ground cover plants offer more than just beauty. Their spreading nature and mat-forming habit help keep weeds under control and prevent soil erosion.
Ground cover plants for shade also help improve the appearance of a bare landscape where other plants won’t grow. Additionally, evergreen plants for ground cover keep your yard looking beautiful all year long.
Choosing the best ground cover plants with white flowers isn’t difficult. To grow white-flowering ground cover plants, consider your USDA growing zone, levels of light exposure, and soil type. Then you can choose perennial or evergreen ground-hugging plants for full sun, partial shade, or complete shade.
The article is a guide to identifying the best white-flowering ground cover plants for your garden landscape. Descriptions and pictures of blanket-forming evergreen and perennial flowers will help you decide which ones to plant in your yard.
The Best Ground Cover Plants with White Flowers
The best plants with white flowers suitable for ground cover depend on your landscape requirements. Typically, creeping, trailing, and low-growing clumping plants are best for covering the bare ground. The spreading plants should typically be under 1 ft. (30 cm) tall.
You can use them to accent garden features with a carpet of flowers. Ground cover plants are ideal for growing under shrubs, in rock gardens, or transforming pathways with colorful foliage.
Why Plant Ground Cover Plants With White Flowers
Ground cover plants with white flowers are useful for brightening up dull landscapes. The white carpet of beautiful flowers blooms in spring and summer adds tremendous aesthetic value. But ground cover plants do more. Hardy ground cover plants prevent weed growth, stop soil erosion, and help beautify slopes and ground under tall shrubs and trees.
Ground Cover Plants With White Flowers (With Pictures) – Identification Guide
Let’s look at some of the best low-growing plants with white flowers that will form a natural ‘mat’ that looks like snow in spring, summer, or fall.
White Flowering Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)
The white flowering candytuft is a perennial ground cover shrubby plant for sunny locations
Candytuft is a stunning woody flowering perennial ground cover, which is evergreen in warmer climates. This attractive evergreen perennial ground cover has abundant clusters of white flowers in dense clusters. The sprawling, low-growing plant has dark green, leathery leaves contrasting with masses of white flowers. This clumping, spreading plant grows 6” to 12” (15 – 30 cm) tall, making it perfect for your yard.
Candytuft is a ground cover that requires full sun to blossom in mid-spring and early summer. You can plant the flowering plant in borders, along pathways, or enhance the appearance of rock gardens. Additionally, the trailing woody stems make it ideal for cascading over the edge of raised beds to soften corners.
USDA growing zones: 3 to 9
Creeping White Phlox (Phlox subulata)
Phlox subulata ‘Snowflake’ is an attractive perennial ground cover plant with masses of white flowers
Creeping white phlox is a mat-forming, perennial ground cover plant that blooms with masses of brilliant white flowers. The perennial flowering ground cover plant has vigorous growth and features dark-green, needle-like leaves that contrast with the spectacular white flowers. The spreading plant is in bloom during spring and grows best in full sun.
Growing between 4” and 6” (10 – 15 cm) tall and spreading up to 2 ft. (60 cm), creeping phlox is the perfect flower for full sun gardens. In addition, you can use the plant for white ground cover on border fronts, on slopes, or draping over a wall. The scented white flowers also attract pollinators.
Phlox subulata ‘White Delight’—The white-blooming creeping phlox has four or five heart-shaped pure white petals. Its soft, hardy foliage gives this plant the name moss phlox.
Phlox subulata ‘Snowflake’—The pristine white flowers on this low-growing phlox cultivar are slender heart-shaped petals giving the flowers a star shape.
Phlox subulata ‘Calvides white’—Snow-white flowers with obovate petals with a notched end are ideal for full-sun ground cover.
USDA growing zones: 2 to 9
White Flowering Periwinkle (Vinca minor ‘Alba’)
White periwinkle is a shrubby ground cover with evergreen leaves that is suitable for both sun and shade
White periwinkle is a mat-forming, low-growing shrubby ground cover plant with white flowers and evergreen foliage. The identifying features of white periwinkle are ovate, dark green leaves, white five-petaled flowers, and a short height. The attractive early-blooming spring flowers measure 1” (2.5 cm) wide and grow above the evergreen leaves.
Also called lesser periwinkle ‘Alba,’ the charming ground cover plant with its trailing stems thrives in full sun, partial shade, and complete shade. With its attractive foliage and white flowers, lesser periwinkle has all season interest.
You can plant the hardy ground cover plant as an edging plant along borders, walkways, driveways, and underplanting shrubs. In addition, the spreading roots make it ideal for banks and slopes to prevent erosion. White periwinkle grows 4” to 6” (10 – 15 cm) tall.
USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
White Rock Cress (Aubrieta deltoidei ‘Snowdrift’)
White rock cress is a low growing herbaceous perennial that looks great in rock gardens
White rock cress is a vigorous perennial blooming ground cover with brilliant white flowers and grayish-green foliage. The easy-grow ground cover plant creates a natural carpet of pure white when in bloom in spring and summer. White rock cress grows 4” to 9” (10 – 23 cm) tall and up to 24” (60 cm) wide.
The four-petaled white flowers are ideal for adding a pop of white color to sunny gardens. In addition, the long-blooming flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.
Due to its short stature, this hardy ground cover plant is an excellent ground cover plant for garden edging, planting in borders and beds, in rock gardens, drooping over walls, or decorating containers. Its hardy foliage means it also works well planted between stepping stones.
USDA growing zones: 5 to 7
White Creeping Mazus (Mazus reptans ‘Alba’)
White creeping mazus is spreading herbaceous perennial and is evergreen in zones 5–8
Creeping mazus is a hardy semi-evergreen perennial flowering ground cover with dainty tubular flowers and dense foliage. Creeping mazus is a vigorous, spreading plant with bright green leaves that hold up well under foot traffic. The plant’s creeping habit and low height make it ideal for ground cover in full sun to partial shade.
Creeping mazus grows 1” to 2” (2.5 – 5 cm) tall and up to 12” (30 cm) wide. The hardy, shade tolerant white-flowering ground cover plant is ideal for planting under shrubs, in woodland gardens, and ground cover in open landscapes. You can also plant creeping mazus as a lawn substitute due to its hardy grassy foliage.
Mazus reptans ‘Alba’—The white flowering variety of creeping mazus is the cultivar ‘Alba.’ This spreading plant, with its attractive green foliage, has snow-white tubular flowers. The plant blooms in early spring, and flowers persist until late summer. In warmer climates, the fast-growing creeping ground cover plant is evergreen.
USDA growing zones: 5 to 8
White Spotted Dead Nettle (Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’)
The white spotted dead nettle is a perennial shade tolerant ground cover
White-flowering spotted dead nettle is a hardy perennial with heart-shaped, serrated leaves that have a whitish band through its center. The white flowers grow in small clusters on the ends of erect stems. Spotted nettle grows 6” to 8” (15 – 20 cm) tall and spreads up to 2 ft. (60 cm).
You can grow spotted dead nettle under shrubs and perennials, in shade gardens, along borders, or in mixed beds.
Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’—The spotted dead nettle ‘White Nancy’ is the white cultivar. The white flowers on the ground cover plant bloom in mid to late spring. Due to the plant’s tolerance to shade, spotted dead nettle is ideal for ground cover in the shaded gardens.
USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
White Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans ‘Alba’)
‘Alba’ bugleweed is a shade loving perennial flowering plant with delicate white flowers
The white bugleweed cultivar ‘Alba’ is a fast-growing, spreading ground cover plant with dainty white flowers. The shade-tolerant ground-hugging plant forms a carpet of leafy rosettes that are hardy underfoot. When in bloom in spring, small white flowers appear on short spikes, creating a striking floral display.
White bugleweed grows 4” to 8” (10 – 20 cm) tall and up to 24” (60 cm) wide. The cold-hardy mat-forming plant thrives in partial shade to complete shade. You can plant the evergreen perennial where other plants won’t grow.
Grow the low-maintenance ground cover plant on slopes or banks to prevent erosion. The carpet-forming spreading plant also performs well in shaded locations like under trees, shrubs, or north-facing garden landscapes.
USDA growing zones: 3 to 10
White Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum ‘Albus’)
White creeping thyme is a low growing evergreen ground cover shrubby plant for full sun
White creeping thyme is a clumping, low-growing aromatic shrub-like plant with white flowers. The spreading habit of creeping thyme makes it perfect for ground cover in full sun. The small flowering shrub creates a mounding carpet of white flowers contrasting with the small dark-green leaves.
Use white creeping thyme to grow between stepping stones, enhance rock gardens, or provide a fragrant border to pathways or driveways.
Thymus serpyllum ‘Albus’—This creeping thyme cultivar has pure white flowers and light green buds. The ground cover plant grows 2” (5 cm) tall and up to 1 ft. (30 cm) wide. A feature of white creeping thyme is its highly aromatic foliage.
USDA growing zones: 5 to 9
White Stonecrop (Sedum album)
White stonecrop is a ground cover succulent with spreading growth habit and clusters of white flowers
White stonecrop is an attractive perennial evergreen ground cover plant with succulent foliage and white star-shaped flowers that bloom in summer. White stonecrop is identified by its finger-shaped, green, fleshy leaves, dainty five-petaled white flowers in the shape of a star, and reddish foliage colors in the fall and winter.
White stonecrop is a fast-growing, spreading succulent plant that only grows 3” to 6” (7 – 15 cm) tall, but it spreads up to 2 ft. (60 cm). The ground cover plant thrives in dry, hot conditions and doesn’t tolerate shade.
The best way to grow white stonecrop is in a sunny spot in the garden between stepping stones, in a rock garden, or containers. The evergreen fleshy leaves and long blooming time mean stonecrop adds visual appeal to a landscape throughout the year.
USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
The white flowering sweet woodruff grows well as a perennial ground cover in shady locations
Sweet woodruff is a shade-loving perennial ground cover with white flowers and a spreading habit of covering the ground. The highly scented white flowers and tiny light green petals create a beautiful colorful carpet in deep shade gardens. The aromatic ground cover plant grows 6” (15 cm) tall and up to 12” (30 cm) wide.
Sweet woodruff is an easy-to-grow plant for undemanding ground cover in shady spots. The fast-growing plant is perfect for growing under tall bushes, covering bare ground in shaded gardens, or used to decorate driveway edges.
USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
Snow-in-summer is a creeping perennial ground cover that grows well in full sun
As the name suggests, snow-in-summer grows as a large blanket of pure white flowers blooming in late spring and early summer. The attractive flowers consist of four notched petals in a star shape with a yellow center. Also, snow-in-summer is a perennial ground cover with long trailing stems ideal for colder climates.
Snow-in-summer thrives in full sun and grows 6” to 12” (15 – 30 cm) tall and up to 24” (60 cm) wide. The drought-tolerant plant thrives in well-drained soil. You can use the spreading perennial to cascade over walls or large containers, apart from planting as ground cover.
USDA growing zones: 3 to 7
White Campanula
Campanula is a low-growing perennial identified by its spectacular bell-shaped or funnel-shaped white flowers. The white ground cover plant forms a rounded mound of bright green foliage and upturned snow-white flowers. The white flowers appear in summer and bloom until early fall. White campanula grows 6” to 12” (15 – 30 cm) tall and wide.
Campanula carpatica ‘White Clips’—Summer blooming white bellflowers growing among light green foliage.
Campanula carpatica ‘White Clips’
Campanula myrtifolia—When in bloom, the mounding ground cover plant is a mass of bell-shaped, brilliant white showy flowers, making it difficult to see the small green leaves.
Campanula myrtifolia
Campanula betulifolia—This white-flowering campanula cultivar is identified by its large bell flowers and heart-shaped serrated leaves.
Campanula betulifolia
USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
White Veronica (Speedwell)
Veronica spicata ‘White Jolanda’ (left) and Veronica ‘White Wands’ (right)
White veronica is a clumping herbaceous perennial with impressive white flowers growing on tall spikes. White speedwell is identified by its slender, dark-green arching leaves, pure white flower spikes, and rounded growth. The low-growing plant grows up to 20” (50 cm) tall and is ideal for white ground cover that requires some height.
Veronica spicata ‘White Jolanda’—This white speedwell cultivar has narrow, lance-shaped leaves and white tubular flowers growing in conical clusters.
Veronica ‘White Wands’—The spectacular white flowers on the ‘White Wand’s’ cultivar consist of fused white petals with a hint of purple and three protruding white stamens.
USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
White Cranesbill (Geranium clarkei ‘Kashmir White’)
White cranesbill is a perennial ground cover that grows best in full sun to part shade
Cranesbill is a sun-loving perennial that blooms with a profusion of delicate white flowers in spring and summer. The identifying features of cranesbill are its attractive, deeply lobed leaves, large white blossoms with pink veins, and a spreading habit. White cranesbill grows 12” to 24” (30 to 60 cm) tall.
Cranesbill is an herbaceous perennial that spreads via rhizomatous roots. The tall ground cover plant performs best in full sun to partial shade. However, it will also tolerate dappled sunlight and full shade. The long-blooming, white-flowering plant is ideal for underplanting in shrub or rose gardens or brightening shaded beds and borders.
USDA growing zones: 5 to 8
Bishop’s Weed (Aegopodium podagraria)
Bishop’s weed is a shade loving perennial ground cover with white flower heads that can be invasive
Also called ground elder, bishop’s weed is a white-flowering perennial plant often used as ground cover. The herbaceous plant is identified by its tall, umbrella-shaped white flower heads and lanceolate serrated leaves. Bishop’s weed readily spreads over the ground and grows well in shaded and partially shaded environments.
Bishop’s weed foliage grows 6” to 12” high, and the tall white flower stems grow 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 – 1 m) tall.
In the right setting, bishop’s weed is an excellent flowering ground cover plant for shade gardens. The large white flowers help to brighten up shaded areas. However, choose the bishop’s weed cultivar with variegated leaves if you want bright foliage. Additionally, the sweet-smelling white flowers and open habit add to the plant’s attractiveness.
It’s good to note that bishop’s weed is invasive in some areas. The plant spreads vigorously, forming a dense mat of large, leafy foliage. Unfortunately, this has the habit of competing with native plants and taking over the ground.
USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
Related articles:
- Ground Cover Plants for Shade
- Ground Cover Plants for Full Sun
- Ground Cover Plants with Purple Flowers