Low, spreading natives that knit together to cover bare ground, smother weeds, and replace thirsty lawn or mulch. Every species here is genuinely native to Pennsylvania and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 5–7 — proven performers for Pennsylvania's humid continental climate across Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont, not a generic list. Local standouts include Wild Geranium and Foamflower. A living native groundcover does everything mulch does and then keeps doing it for free — covering soil, blocking weeds, and feeding wildlife as it goes. Match the spreader to the site (sun or shade, wet or dry), plant on tight centers so they close ranks in a season or two, and weed faithfully that first year while they fill in.
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Geranium maculatum
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, carpets bare soil 1.5–2 ft wide to replace thirsty lawn or mulch, for loam ground — it blooms Apr through Jun.
Tiarella cordifolia
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, spreads low — 6–12 in tall, 1–2 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
Phlox divaricata
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, knits across the ground 12–18 in wide and just 10–15 in tall, no mowing needed; it flowers in Apr and May.
Geum triflorum
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, weaves a 6–16 in-tall mat 12–18 in across to blanket bare ground, dusky pink nodding bells flowers, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
Achillea millefolium
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, weaves a 1.5–3 ft-tall mat 1.5–2 ft across to blanket bare ground, cold-hardy to zone 3 — it blooms May through Aug.
Phlox subulata
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, a living mulch at 4–8 in tall, fanning 1.5–2 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds, and it flowers in Apr and May.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, a living mulch at 30–50 ft tall, fanning 10–20 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds, flowering as it flowers in Jun.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, spreads low — 4–8 in tall, 3–6 ft wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds; it flowers in Apr and May.
Asarum canadense
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, spreads low — 4–8 in tall, 12–18 in wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds, and it flowers in Apr and May.
Rhus aromatica
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, settles in as a weed-suppressing carpet 5–10 ft wide, no taller than 2–6 ft, flowering as it flowers in Mar and Apr.
Sporobolus heterolepis
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, a living mulch at 2–3 ft tall, fanning 2–3 ft wide to cover soil and block weeds.
Polystichum acrostichoides
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, a mat-forming native, 1–2 ft tall and 1.5–2.5 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds.
Carex pensylvanica
Through Pennsylvania's Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont country, knits across the ground 1–2 ft wide and just 6–12 in tall, no mowing needed.
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.