Finding resilient, drought-tolerant ground covers is essential for Texas lawns, especially in areas like Katy and Cinco Ranch, where summers can be long and hot. This guide explores 19 ground cover options that require minimal water and provide lasting beauty even in harsh conditions. These ground covers are excellent Texas landscaping choices for low-maintenance landscaping, adding texture, color, and even erosion control.
Benefits of Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers
Drought-tolerant ground covers are ideal for Texas properties. Here’s why they’re popular for areas with extended dry seasons:
- Conserve Water: Require less watering, making them eco-friendly and cost-effective.
- Erosion Control: Help stabilize soil and prevent erosion on slopes.
- Low Maintenance: Many varieties are self-sustaining once established.
- Weed Suppression: Provide dense coverage that reduces weed growth.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Add texture and color to landscapes without intensive upkeep.
19 Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers for Texas Landscapes
Each entry will include care instructions, soil preferences, and other insights relevant to Texas climates. If you need a landscaping professional in Katy, TX to help you with your selections, just give Sunrise Lawn Care a call and we would love to help! (713) 570-6377
1. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
Popular for its fragrant foliage, Creeping Thyme is a versatile herb that grows well in sandy, well-drained soil, making it ideal for hot climates. This plant blooms with pink or lavender flowers in the summer, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. Creeping Thyme thrives in full sun and only needs occasional watering once established. It also handles foot traffic, making it a practical choice for pathways or between stepping stones. This herb can double as a culinary thyme, adding function to its visual appeal.
How to Care for Creeping Thyme
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, slightly alkaline soils.
- Care Tips: Requires full sun; water sparingly once established.
- Benefits: Ideal for rocky or sandy soils and adds fragrance to gardens.
2. Liriope (Liriope muscari)
Commonly referred to as Monkey Grass, Liriope is an evergreen perennial with spikes of purple flowers. It tolerates drought well once established and thrives in full sun to partial shade. Its grassy foliage creates visual interest and pairs well with larger shrubs. Liriope is also useful for erosion control and works well on slopes or in garden beds. In Texas landscapes, it brings year-round greenery and is low maintenance, needing occasional trimming to stay tidy.
How to Care for Liriope
- Soil Needs: Adaptable to various soils, prefers well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Tolerates both sun and partial shade.
- Benefits: Offers erosion control and is resistant to deer and rabbits.
3. Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)
Mexican Heather is a low-growing plant with small, purple flowers that bloom nearly year-round in warmer climates. It tolerates drought once established and attracts pollinators. Mexican Heather is well-suited to Texas gardens, especially in shaded areas, and adds color without needing frequent watering.
How to Care for Mexican Heather
- Soil Needs: Prefers moist, well-drained soil but can tolerate drought once established.
- Care Tips: Thrives in full sun to partial shade.
- Benefits: Provides year-round color and attracts pollinators.
4. Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis)
Blue Star Creeper is a low-growing plant with star-shaped, pale blue flowers that add a splash of color to the landscape. This hardy ground cover does well in partial shade to full sun and can spread quickly, forming a dense mat. It’s ideal for Texas climates where it can tolerate mild drought and still provide beautiful, small blooms. Blue Star Creeper also withstands light foot traffic, making it suitable for garden paths and around stepping stones. Regular trimming will encourage its spread while keeping it neat.
How to Care for Blue Star Creeper
- Soil Needs: Thrives in moist, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Requires moderate water until established; tolerates light shade.
- Benefits: Excellent for filling spaces between pavers.
5. Stonecrop (Sedum spp. )
Sedums, often known as stonecrop, are succulents that adapt well to rocky soil and minimal water. Varieties like Autumn Joy provide vivid color changes, with blooms transitioning from pink to red as the season progresses. Sedum tolerates Katy’s hot climate well and needs minimal maintenance. This ground cover is an excellent choice for erosion control on slopes, and its thick leaves help conserve moisture, perfect for Texas summers. Sedums are also deer-resistant, adding extra value in rural settings.
How to Care for Stonecrop
- Soil Needs: Prefers sandy, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Thrives in full sun with minimal watering.
- Benefits: Highly drought-resistant and attractive to pollinators.
6. Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana')
Dwarf Mondo Grass is a low-growing, clumping grass that adds texture to landscapes with its deep green leaves. Resistant to drought, this plant is especially suited for shaded spots and can help fill spaces between larger plants. While not a true grass, it is often used to edge borders or as a lush green ground cover in shaded gardens. Regular watering helps in establishment, but once settled, it handles dry spells well, typical in Cinco Ranch gardens.
How to Care for Dwarf Mondo Grass
- Soil Needs: Prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Adaptable to sun or shade; water occasionally.
- Benefits: Great for shaded areas and erosion control.
7. Dwarf Carpet of Stars (Ruschia lineolata 'Nana')
The Dwarf Carpet of Stars (Ruschia lineolata ‘Nana’) is a hardy, low-growing succulent ground cover known for its dense mat of small, star-shaped green leaves. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in sunny locations and requires minimal water, making it an eco-friendly lawn alternative. Ideal for rock gardens, borders, and slopes, it produces small, bright pink or purple flowers in spring and summer. With a tolerance for various soil types, the Dwarf Carpet of Stars is easy to maintain and resistant to foot traffic.
How to Care for Dwarf Carpet of Stars
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, sandy soil.
- Care Tips: Full sun, minimal water.
- Benefits: Tolerates foot traffic, perfect for walkways.
8. Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum)
Asiatic (or Asian) Jasmine is a versatile ground cover that thrives in both sun and shade. It forms a dense mat of evergreen leaves, perfect for suppressing weeds. This plant is commonly used for larger landscapes, as it spreads quickly with minimal water needs once established. Asiatic Jasmine also provides erosion control on slopes and can be used in shaded areas under trees.
How to Care for Asiatic Jasmine
- Soil Needs: Adaptable to various soils.
- Care Tips: Thrives in both sun and shade; low water needs.
- Benefits: Effective for erosion control and weed suppression.
9. Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
Native to Texas, Blackfoot Daisy produces small, white daisy-like flowers and grows well in arid conditions. It tolerates poor soil and adds a natural, wild look to landscapes. Blackfoot Daisy is also deer-resistant and attracts bees, making it a valuable plant for eco-friendly gardens.
How to Care for Blackfoot Daisy
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, rocky soil.
- Care Tips: Full sun, very drought-tolerant.
- Benefits: Attracts bees and butterflies, great for wildflower gardens.
10. Horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis)
Horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis), also known as straggler daisy, is a low-growing, perennial ground cover native to Texas and other parts of the southern United States. Often found in shaded areas and disturbed soils, it features small, oval leaves and delicate yellow flowers. Horseherb is highly adaptable, tolerating both drought and partial shade, and it spreads quickly by runners, making it useful for erosion control. While some consider it a weed, it’s valued in low-maintenance landscapes for its resilience and ability to fill bare spots.
How to Care for Horseherb
- Soil Needs: Tolerates various soil types.
- Care Tips: Shade to partial shade, low water.
- Benefits: Good for shaded lawns and under trees.
11. Silver Ponysfoot (Dichondra argentea)
Dichondra argentea, commonly known as Silver Ponysfoot or Silver Nickel vine, is a trailing, perennial ground cover prized for its silvery, round leaves and cascading growth habit. Native to Texas and Mexico, this low-maintenance plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and is highly drought-tolerant, making it ideal for xeriscaping. Silver Ponyfoot’s silvery foliage creates a striking contrast in gardens and is often used in containers, hanging baskets, or as ground cover. It’s perfect for adding texture and color to landscapes with minimal water requirements.
How to Care for Silver Ponysfoot
- Soil Needs: Sandy, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Thrives in sun to partial shade, low water.
- Benefits: Adds texture and color contrast to gardens.
12. Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
Phyla nodiflora, commonly known as Frogfruit or Turkey Tangle Fogfruit, is a low-growing, perennial ground cover native to the southern United States and Mexico. It features small, white-to-pinkish flowers that bloom in clusters and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Highly adaptable, Frogfruit tolerates full sun to partial shade, as well as wet or dry soils, making it suitable for erosion control and as a lawn substitute. Its resilience and ability to spread quickly make it an excellent choice for eco-friendly, low-maintenance landscapes.
How to Care for Frogfruit
- Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Tolerates sun to partial shade.
- Benefits: Attracts pollinators, tolerant of foot traffic.
13. Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Hesperaloe parviflora, commonly known as Red Yucca, is a hardy, drought-tolerant succulent native to Texas and northern Mexico. Despite its name, it’s not a true yucca but shares similar tough, architectural qualities. Red Yucca produces long, arching stems with tubular coral-red to pink flowers that bloom throughout summer, attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators. Its narrow, evergreen leaves form a clumping rosette, making it an ideal choice for xeriscaping, rock gardens, and desert-themed landscapes. Low-maintenance and highly resilient, it thrives in full sun and well-draining soil.
How to Care for Red Yucca
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, sandy soil.
- Care Tips: Thrives in full sun.
- Benefits: Drought-tolerant and produces vibrant flowers.
14. Woolly Stemodia (Stemodia lanata)
Stemodia lanata, commonly known as Woolly Stemodia, is a low-growing, perennial ground cover native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. It features silvery-gray, fuzzy leaves that give it a soft, woolly appearance, adding texture and contrast to gardens. Blooming from spring through fall, Woolly Stemodia produces small, light purple to blue flowers that attract pollinators. Drought-tolerant and thriving in full sun, it’s well-suited for xeriscaping and rock gardens. This resilient plant is ideal for low-maintenance landscapes, requiring minimal water and care.
How to Care for Wooly Stemodia
- Soil Needs: Prefers dry, sandy soils.
- Care Tips: Full sun; very drought-tolerant.
- Benefits: Great for Texas xeriscaping.
15. Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)
Pavonia lasiopetala, commonly known as Rock Rose or Rose Pavonia, is a hardy, drought-tolerant perennial native to Texas and Mexico. This shrub-like plant grows up to 2-4 feet tall and produces vibrant pink, hibiscus-like flowers from spring through fall, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Rock Rose thrives in full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping and native gardens. Its resilience and long blooming period make it a popular, low-maintenance option for adding color to Texas landscapes.
How to Care for Rock Rose
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, rocky soil.
- Care Tips: Full sun, minimal water.
- Benefits: Deer-resistant and drought-tolerant.
16. Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)
Chrysactinia mexicana, commonly known as Damianita, is a compact, evergreen shrub native to Texas and Mexico. It reaches about 1-2 feet in height and produces bright yellow, daisy-like flowers from spring to fall, emitting a pleasant fragrance. Damianita thrives in full sun and well-draining, rocky soils, making it ideal for xeriscaping, rock gardens, and drought-prone areas. Its dense, aromatic foliage and extended bloom period make it a valuable addition to low-maintenance landscapes, providing color and resilience in tough, arid conditions.
How to Care for Damianita
- Soil Needs: Sandy, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Full sun, little water.
- Benefits: Attracts pollinators and offers color.
17. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is a hardy, low-growing perennial known for its vibrant yellow-green foliage that brightens up gardens and landscapes. This versatile ground cover is ideal for filling spaces in shaded to partially sunny areas and thrives in moist, well-drained soil. Its round, trailing leaves form dense mats, making it an excellent choice for erosion control along slopes or in rain gardens. With regular watering, Creeping Jenny spreads quickly, providing lush, colorful foliage that adds interest to garden borders, containers, and pathways.
How to Care for Creeping Jenny
- Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Partial shade to full sun; keep soil consistently moist.
- Benefits: Provides lush, low-growing foliage that spreads easily.
18. Snake Herb (Dyschoriste linearis)
Dyschoriste linearis, commonly known as Snake Herb, is a hardy, drought-tolerant perennial native to the southern United States. This low-growing plant features slender, dark green leaves and delicate, tubular purple flowers that bloom in spring and attract bees and butterflies. Snake Herb thrives in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil, making it a great choice for low-maintenance landscapes, wildflower gardens, and xeriscaping. Its resilience and spreading habit provide excellent ground cover, adding subtle color and texture to native Texas gardens.
How to Care for Snake Herb
- Soil Needs: Sandy, well-drained soil.
- Care Tips: Thrives in full sun, tolerates drought.
- Benefits: Adds unique texture and color to landscapes.
19. Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina)
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina) is a hardy perennial prized for its soft, silvery-gray leaves, which add unique texture and color to gardens. Growing in dense, low clumps, it serves as an excellent ground cover and can brighten borders, rock gardens, and xeriscaped areas. Lamb’s Ear thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil, with minimal watering once established. Resistant to deer and drought, this plant is low-maintenance and brings visual interest, creating a soft contrast against vibrant flowers or green foliage in landscape designs.
How to Care for Lamb's Ear
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, sandy or loamy soil.
- Care Tips: Full sun to partial shade; water sparingly to avoid root rot.
- Benefits: Low-maintenance and deer-resistant, ideal for xeriscaping.
Comparison Table of Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers
| Plant | Growing Zones | Sun Requirements | Growth Rate | Maintenance Level | Unique Benefits |
| Creeping Thyme | Zones 4-9 | Full Sun | Fast | Low | Attracts pollinators and produces fragrant leaves. | Liriope | Zones 5-10 | Full Sun to Shade | Slow to Moderate | Low | Hardy and resistant to pests. | Mexican Heather | Zones 8-11 | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Moderate | Low | Blooms small colorful flowers that attract pollinators. | Blue Star Creeper | Zones 6-9 | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Moderate | Low | Ideal for pathways and walkable areas. | Sedum | Zones 3-11 | Full Sun | Fast | Low | Thrives in rocky soils and tolerates heat. | Mondo Grass | Zones 6-11 | Partial Shade | Slow | Low | Forms dense mats and great for erosion control. | Dwarf Carpet of Stars | Zones 9-11 | Full Sun | Moderate | Moderate | Tolerates foot traffic and has a unique star-like form. | Asiatic Jasmine | Zones 7-11 | Partial Shade to Full Sun | Moderate | Low | Excellent ground cover + hardy and drought-tolerant. | Blackfoot Daisy | Zones 5-10 | Full Sun | Moderate | Low | Attractive to bees and butterflies. | Horse herb | Zones 8-11 | Partial Shade to Full Sun | Fast | Low | Provides resilient ground cover with minimal care. | Silver Ponyfoot | Zones 7-11 | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Moderate | Low | Adds silvery foliage contrast to landscapes. | Frogfruit | Zones 8-11 | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Fast | Low | Great for erosion control + attracts pollinators. | Red Yucca | Zones 5-10 | Full Sun | Slow to Moderate | Low | Beautiful coral-red flowers attract hummingbirds. | Woolly Stemodia | Zones 8-11 | Full Sun | Moderate | Low | Soft silvery foliage adds texture to dry landscapes. | Rockrose | Zones 8-11 | Full Sun | Moderate | Low | Bright pink blooms attract pollinators. | Damianita | Zones 7-10 | Full Sun | Moderate | Low | Yellow flowers and aromatic foliage + drought-tolerant. | Creeping Jenny | Zones 3-9 | Partial Shade | Fast | Moderate | Adds bright green to yellow foliage. | Snake Herb | Zones 7-10 | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Moderate | Low | Spreads easily and attracts pollinators. | Lamb's Ear | Zones 4-9 | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Moderate | Low | Soft silvery leaves add unique texture and are deer-resistant. |
If you’re looking for a professional landscaper in Katy, or just need landscaping services in Cinco Ranch, TX please don’t hesitate to give Sunrise Lawn Care a call today! (713) 570-6377