13 Perennials That Multiply Like Crazy (And How to Use Them)

Some perennials do more than just return year after year—they explode with growth, filling empty garden spaces with beauty and ease. These fast-multiplying plants are perfect for anyone looking to create lush borders, natural ground covers, or low-maintenance landscapes.

Here are 13 prolific perennials that practically do the planting for you—and smart ways to put them to work in your garden.

Japanese Anemone

These fall-blooming beauties spread through underground rhizomes and light up borders when other plants fade. Use them at the back of beds or let them naturalize in part-shade areas.

Hardy Geranium (Cranesbill)

Not to be confused with the annual kind, hardy geraniums spread steadily and bloom for months. Ideal for underplanting roses or filling tricky slopes with color and texture.

Chocolate Mint

This fragrant herb is a fast spreader and great for edible borders or container gardening. Keep it in pots or raised beds to enjoy the scent and taste without losing control.

Toad Lily (Tricyrtis)

Toad lilies slowly form colonies in shady gardens, offering exotic orchid-like flowers in late summer. Use them to fill woodland paths or under trees where other flowers struggle.

Sweet Woodruff

This low-growing perennial spreads quickly in shady, moist spots. It forms a soft green carpet with fragrant white flowers—perfect for under trees or along north-facing walls.

Ostrich Fern

A dramatic presence in the shade garden, ostrich fern spreads via underground runners. Use it as a bold foliage backdrop or mass it along fences for a tropical effect.

Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa)

This drought-tolerant Mediterranean perennial spreads by self-seeding and clumping. Its fuzzy gray-green leaves and yellow flowers are great for xeriscaping or dry borders.

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

With bright chartreuse leaves and a fast-spreading habit, Creeping Jenny makes a vibrant ground cover. Tuck it between pavers, let it trail from containers, or use it in rain gardens.

Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis)

A rare gem for the shade, hardy begonia spreads through bulbils and reseeding. Use it to add color under shrubs or brighten the base of trees with its pink flowers and red-veined leaves.

Leopard’s Bane (Doronicum)

This daisy-like bloomer spreads via clumping and reseeding. It’s one of the first to bloom in spring—perfect for brightening up cool, partly shaded areas early in the season.

Vinca Minor (Periwinkle)

Vinca minor spreads quickly with trailing stems that root wherever they touch. Great for erosion control on slopes or as an evergreen carpet beneath taller perennials.

Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)

This low-growing plant spreads steadily and shines in late summer with brilliant blue flowers and red fall foliage. It’s great for edging sunny paths or filling rocky areas.

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum)

This graceful plant multiplies underground and adds elegance to shaded gardens with its arching stems and dangling white blooms. Let it form a natural-looking drift among hostas or ferns.

Planting these prolific perennials is an investment in a lush, low-maintenance future. With smart placement and occasional dividing, your garden will thrive year after year with minimal effort.