Zone 5 · winter lows -20°F to -10°F
Groundcovers for Zone 5
233 groundcovers plants that are hardy through Zone 5, ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow them.
Most-saved groundcovers plants for Zone 5
#1 most savedLilyturf
Liriope muscari
#2 most savedElfin Creeping Thyme
Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin'
#3 most savedEmerald Blue Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Emerald Blue'
Burgundy Glow Bugleweed
Ajuga reptans 'Burgundy Glow'
Creeping Phlox 'Blue Carpet'
Phlox subulata 'Blue Carpet'
Magic Carpet Thyme
Thymus serpyllum 'Magic Carpet'
Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Blue Emerald'
Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Emerald Cushion Blue'
Scarlet Flame Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Scarlet Flame'
Red Wings Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Red Wings'
Blue Zinger Sedge
Carex flacca 'Blue Zinger'
Dazzleberry Sedum
Sedum x rubrotinctum 'Dazzleberry'
Creeping Phlox Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata
Creeping Phlox Home Fires Phlox
Phlox stolonifera 'Home Fires'
Blueberry Muffin Bugleweed
Ajuga reptans 'Blueberry Muffin'
Creeping Phlox Eye Caramba
Phlox subulata 'Eye Caramba'
Groundcover Rose
Rosa x hybrida 'Ground Cover Rose Collection'
Spotted Dead Nettle
Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy'
Variegated Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Nettletons Variation'
Irish Moss
Sagina subulata
Ajuga Black Scallop
Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop'
Green Carpet Rupturewort
Herniaria glabra 'Green Carpet'
Beatlemania Sedge
Carex caryophyllea 'Beatlemania'
Snow-in-Summer
Cerastium tomentosum 'Silver Carpet'
Showing the 24 most-saved of 233. See all groundcovers →
Groundcovers in Zone 5
What are the best groundcovers plants for Zone 5?
The 24 above are the most-saved groundcovers plants that are also rated hardy through Zone 5. Ranking by real gardeners — not by catalog marketing — surfaces the ones gardeners keep coming back to.
Will these survive Zone 5 winters?
Every plant listed here is rated for Zone 5, where winter lows reach -20°F to -10°F. Site conditions still matter: drainage, wind exposure, and a good layer of mulch make the difference between a rated-hardy plant and a happy one.
How fast do groundcovers spread?
The useful ones cover in 2–3 seasons. Faster spreaders exist but read the fine print — anything described as "vigorous" in a catalog can mean "invasive" in a garden.
Keep exploring
Groundcovers in other zones
Design a Zone 5 bed with these
Snap a photo of your yard and Sow places these plants in it — correctly sized, matched to your zone, with care reminders that follow your real weather.
