Cut Down on Weeding with These 10 Ground Covers That Spread Fast

Weeding can feel like a never-ending chore—but what if your plants could do it for you? Fast-growing ground covers are a gardener’s secret weapon for filling bare spots and suppressing unwanted weeds.

These 10 low-growing champions spread quickly, create a dense mat of greenery, and save you time and effort in the long run.

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

This golden-green beauty spreads like wildfire and brightens up shady or damp areas. Creeping Jenny quickly forms a thick carpet that blocks weeds and spills beautifully over edges and containers.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

With delicate white flowers and fragrant foliage, sweet woodruff thrives in shade and moist soil. It grows fast, fills in gaps, and suppresses weeds without smothering nearby plants.

Ajuga (Bugleweed)

Ajuga’s colorful foliage—ranging from bronze to deep purple—adds year-round interest. It hugs the ground tightly and spreads by runners, making it perfect for crowding out weeds in sun or part shade.

Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

This fragrant, flowering herb creates a dense mat that’s tough enough for light foot traffic. Creeping thyme is perfect for sunny pathways and between stepping stones, and it helps keep weeds at bay.

Lamium (Dead Nettle)

Lamium grows fast in shady spots, offering silver-patterned leaves and delicate blooms in pink, white, or purple. It’s a great choice for under trees or in tricky corners where grass won’t grow.

Mazus reptans

This fast spreader stays low to the ground and bursts into tiny purple flowers in spring. It thrives in moist soil and sun or part shade, filling in spaces quickly while keeping weeds out.

Sedum ‘Dragon’s Blood’

This hardy ground cover spreads rapidly with succulent leaves that turn red in cooler weather. It’s drought-tolerant and thrives in poor soil—perfect for hot, dry spots where weeds often sneak in.

Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Spurge)

Pachysandra forms a dense, evergreen mat that’s ideal for shaded areas. It’s deer-resistant and handles poor soil well, making it a reliable, low-maintenance ground cover in difficult locations.

Vinca minor (Periwinkle)

With glossy leaves and lavender-blue flowers, vinca minor is a fast and aggressive spreader. It’s perfect for slopes, banks, or under shrubs, quickly choking out weeds with its dense growth.

Golden Groundsel (Packera aurea)

This native perennial spreads by rhizomes and fills shady beds with bright yellow flowers in spring. It keeps weeds down with its thick foliage and offers early-season color and habitat for pollinators.

Skip the weeding and let these fast-spreading ground covers do the work. Their dense growth adds beauty while naturally keeping weeds at bay—plant once and enjoy more, weed less.