Groundcover profiles: ajuga, creeping thyme, phlox, mondo and woodland plants.
Compare the botanical identities, source-listed light and soil conditions, container evidence and local-calendar inputs for ajuga, blue star creeper, creeping phlox, creeping thyme, dwarf mondo grass, Irish moss, Scotch moss.
Choose the plant before choosing the quantity
A groundcover label describes a use, not one set of growing conditions. Compare the individual records before joining plants into a border: a woodland plant and a sun-grown mat can have different moisture and light requirements. Walking tolerance, weed exclusion and spread control are not established by a geometric plant count.
The entries report the cited taxon’s growing conditions and descriptive dimensions. A mature width is separate from planting spacing; multiple light, moisture or life-cycle categories can reflect a genus, cultivar range or climate differences. Use the exact nursery label and local guidance to choose inputs. Soil categories describe the source record and supply no amendment recipe.
Ajuga
Ajuga: the cited botanical record is Ajuga reptans. The example is creeping bugleweed; check regional spread restrictions before choosing it.
Source-listed light conditions: dappled sunlight, deep shade, full sun, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, occasionally wet. Soil categories: clay, loam (silt), sand. Listed soil pH categories: Acid (<6.0).
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 6 in to 1 ft 0 in; width: 0 ft 6 in to 1 ft 0 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring, summer. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Blue star creeper
Blue star creeper: the cited botanical record is Isotoma fluviatilis. Check the accepted name on the nursery label and regional spread guidance.
Source-listed light conditions: dappled sunlight, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: occasionally wet. Soil categories: high organic matter, loam (silt), sand, shallow rocky.
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 2 in to 0 ft 3 in; width: 1 ft 2 in to 2 ft 0 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring, summer. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Source: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Isotoma fluviatilis
Creeping phlox
Creeping phlox: the cited botanical record is Phlox subulata. Moss phlox is the example, not taller garden phlox.
Source-listed light conditions: dappled sunlight, full sun. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, moist, occasionally dry. Soil categories: high organic matter, loam (silt), sand, shallow rocky. Listed soil pH categories: Acid (<6.0).
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 4 in to 0 ft 6 in; width: 2 ft 0 in to 3 ft 0 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Creeping thyme
Creeping thyme: the cited botanical record is Thymus serpyllum. This entry uses a creeping thyme example; nursery selections can belong to different thyme species.
Source-listed light conditions: full sun. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, occasionally dry, very dry. Soil categories: loam (silt), sand, shallow rocky. Listed soil pH categories: Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0).
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 2 in to 0 ft 3 in; width: 0 ft 3 in to 0 ft 10 in. Life cycle listed: perennial, woody. Flowering season in the reference region: summer. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Dwarf mondo grass
Dwarf mondo grass: the cited botanical record is Ophiopogon japonicus. Species dimensions are not the compact cultivar dimensions; confirm the dwarf selection separately.
Source-listed light conditions: dappled sunlight, full sun, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, moist. Soil categories: clay, loam (silt), sand.
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 6 in to 1 ft 0 in; width: 0 ft 6 in to 1 ft 0 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: summer. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Source: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Ophiopogon japonicus
Irish moss / Scotch moss
Irish moss / Scotch moss: the cited botanical record is Sagina subulata. These are flowering groundcover selections, not true mosses; colour and cultivar labels distinguish them.
Source-listed light conditions: full sun, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, moist. Soil categories: clay, loam (silt), sand, shallow rocky. Listed soil pH categories: Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0).
Obtain mature dimensions for the selected nursery plant; the reference supplies no single size range. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring, summer. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Liriope
Liriope: the cited botanical record is Liriope. Clumping and spreading liriope species need separate layout and regional spread checks.
Source-listed light conditions: deep shade, full sun, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage.
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 9 in to 1 ft 6 in; width: 1 ft 0 in to 2 ft 0 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: fall, summer. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Partridgeberry
Partridgeberry: the cited botanical record is Mitchella repens. This woodland groundcover is separate from other plants sold with similar berry names.
Source-listed light conditions: deep shade, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, moist, occasionally dry. Soil categories: high organic matter. Listed soil pH categories: Acid (<6.0).
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 1 in to 0 ft 3 in; width: 1 ft 0 in to 1 ft 4 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring, summer. The source’s location field does not establish container use; request a cultivar-specific container record.
Sedum groundcover
Sedum groundcover: the cited botanical record is Sedum. Sedum is a broad genus label; low-growing selections need their own size and seasonal records.
Source-listed light conditions: full sun, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, occasionally dry, very dry. Soil categories: clay, loam (silt), sand, shallow rocky.
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 3 in to 2 ft 0 in; width: 2 ft 0 in to 3 ft 0 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: fall, spring, summer. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Vinca groundcover
Vinca groundcover: the cited botanical record is Vinca minor. Lesser periwinkle is the example; check local invasive status and do not treat it as an automatic groundcover choice.
Source-listed light conditions: dappled sunlight, full sun, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, moist, occasionally dry. Soil categories: clay, high organic matter, loam (silt), sand.
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 3 in to 0 ft 6 in; width: 0 ft 6 in to 1 ft 6 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring, summer. The source’s location field does not establish container use; request a cultivar-specific container record.
Wild ginger groundcover
Wild ginger groundcover: the cited botanical record is Asarum canadense. This ornamental woodland example is not culinary ginger and does not establish edible use.
Source-listed light conditions: dappled sunlight, deep shade, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, moist, occasionally wet. Soil categories: high organic matter, shallow rocky. Listed soil pH categories: Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0).
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 6 in to 1 ft 0 in; width: 0 ft 4 in to 0 ft 6 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring. The source’s location field does not establish container use; request a cultivar-specific container record.
Wild strawberry groundcover
Wild strawberry groundcover: the cited botanical record is Fragaria virginiana. Virginia strawberry is the example; this guide does not identify edible wild berries.
Source-listed light conditions: full sun, partial shade. Drainage and moisture descriptions: good drainage, moist, occasionally dry. Soil categories: clay, high organic matter, loam (silt).
Reference dimensions: height: 0 ft 4 in to 0 ft 9 in; width: 1 ft 0 in to 2 ft 0 in. Life cycle listed: perennial. Flowering season in the reference region: spring. Container use is explicitly listed in the source.
Source: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Fragaria virginiana
Check the container and watering record
Where container use is listed, confirm the exact cultivar’s intended pot, drainage and medium with the nursery. A garden plant’s descriptive width does not determine a pot diameter or root-volume requirement. For dwarf trees, keep the named rootstock or compact cultivar dimensions with that record.
Observe the medium and follow the selected plant’s care instructions. A source describing moist soil does not supply a weekly irrigation volume. Pot size, plant size, medium and exposure belong in the watering record. Calculate litres only after the selected pot’s remaining fill has been measured.
Build a local planting calendar
Record your location, the selected cultivar and whether the purchase is seed, dormant stock or an actively growing plant. Obtain the local sowing or transplanting window for that material from the regional extension service or nursery. Record that window separately from the flowering season shown in the reference. Frost exposure, soil workability and the crop form can make a month from another region unsuitable.
For mixed orders, keep separate rows for each selection, its planned date, supplied along-row and across-row spacing and replacements. A species-wide width or a hardiness-zone label is insufficient to choose all of those values. This plan uses nursery or local guidance and contains no pesticide or nutrient treatment.
Turn the selected plan into a plant and bag order
For an independent illustrative 2 m by 1 m bed, supplied margins of 0.25 m on all sides and supplied spacings of 0.5 m in each direction produce four positions by two positions: eight plants. These are arithmetic inputs, not recommended spacings for the plants above. If the approved selection is sold in four-plant packs, the order is two packs.
For a separate container order with three measured empty-fill requirements of 8 L each, the total is 24 L. One selected 40 L bag covers the stated volume before any separately supplied allowance. The Soil Calculator calculates litres; it does not choose the growing medium, the container or a load-bearing location.
Use the matching calculator
Use this decision sequence
- Identify the exact species, crop type and cultivar or rootstock.
- Check the relevant source and local nursery guidance for growing conditions and planting window.
- Record supplied plant spacings or the selected container’s measured fill.
- Calculate positions and whole purchase packs separately for each selection.
Keep the quantities distinct
| Quantity or assumption | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Botanical record | A named example or genus record, not identification of an unknown plant. |
| Mature width | Descriptive size, separate from the selected planting spacing. |
| Planting date | A local window for the actual seed, dormant stock or transplant. |
| Watering | A plant and medium care decision, not the bed’s geometric volume. |
Worked comparison
A supplied four-by-two position plan contains eight plants and needs two four-plant packs. A separate three-pot order with 8 L of measured empty fill per pot needs 24 L of the selected medium, covered by one 40 L bag before any separately selected allowance.
Check before using the estimate
Check the exact cultivar and local restrictions before ordering. No species-wide figure establishes container fit, edible identity, support strength or planting success.
All dimensions, product properties, prices and specifications in this example are illustrative arithmetic inputs. Use the values from your measured plan, selected product data sheet and supplier quote. This guide does not choose construction specifications or certify safety.
Sources and product references
- NC State Extension: Ajuga reptans
- NC State Extension: Isotoma fluviatilis
- NC State Extension: Phlox subulata
- NC State Extension: Thymus serpyllum
- NC State Extension: Ophiopogon japonicus
- NC State Extension: Sagina subulata
- NC State Extension: Liriope
- NC State Extension: Mitchella repens
- NC State Extension: Sedum
- NC State Extension: Vinca minor
- NC State Extension: Asarum canadense
- NC State Extension: Fragaria virginiana
References support the factual distinctions and scope described above. Growing guidance is regional and care instructions are product-specific. Worked numerical examples are independent illustrative arithmetic.
Calculation and scope checked 2026-10-13. Methods and scope.
Related decisions
How to measure and order: planting quantities and top-ups
Which measurements and product data prevent quantity mistakes for this job?
Container gardening: growing-media choice, fill volume and watering records
How do you separate container care from the arithmetic of ordering growing media?
Vegetable garden planning: spacing, light and a local planting calendar
How do you turn a locally appropriate crop plan into plant counts and soil quantities?