Red Ground Cover Plants
- Take your inspiration from red-hued pastures instead of green suburban lawns.altrendo nature/Stockbyte/Getty Images
If you're put off by the expense and energy required to maintain a lush lawn, you can plant a ground cover instead. Ground cover plant varieties abound, and are appropriate for all climates and soil types. For a blanket of red, look for one of the many ground covers with plentiful, crimson flowers or ornamental red-hued leaves. Generally, a ground cover grows quite close to the ground, no more than 24 inches tall and grows densely enough to keep out pesky weeds. - Prairie winecups (Callirhoe involucrata) grow best in the southcentral United States. Their ropey, vine-like stems spread freely and produce flowers ranging from deep reds to maroons and wines. The flowers open in the morning and close at dusk, closing again, finally, when they are pollinated. In the extreme heat of the southern summer, the flowers tend to die off. Throughout the milder seasons, though, they grow best in direct sunlight and sandy soil. Typically, prairie winecups reach heights of 6 to 18 inches. They usually take from one to two months to germinate. Expect blooms between February and July, depending on your local climate. By picking off wilted flowers, you can extend the plant's flowering.
- The pinleaf penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius), also known as the pineneedle beardtongue, grows in the American Southwest. Like the whole of the penstemon family, the pinleaf favors dry, hot climates, though they can also survive in quite cold conditions, growing in habitats as cold as climate zone 2. Planting a thick blanket of penstemons can attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. The pineleaf has distinctive evergreen needles, reaching just about 12 inches above the ground. Its scarlet flowers bloom from June through September.
- For an unusual red groundcover, plant "creeping stonecrop" or "'two-row stonecrop" (Sedum spurium) in your yard. A succulent, stonecrop has green, fleshy leaves with rosy tips. It grows well in a range of climates, from USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8. Don't expect stonecrop to become too large; it grows at a moderate pace and generally only reaches 2 to 6 inches in height. Partial sun is adequate, and well-drained soil, whether sandy or gravelly, is necessary. The stonecrop is an ideal planting for xeriscaping, highly drought-tolerant and requiring infrequent watering. Besides its wine-colored foliage, the stonecrop produces pinkish-red flowers in the summer. The names of common cultivars evidence its reddish hues; you can choose from "dragon's blood," "pink jewel," or "royal pink," among others.
