Dry patches in the yard do not have to mean bare soil, struggling grass, or constant watering. Some perennial groundcovers handle dry conditions once established while spreading across exposed soil and helping limit the space available for weeds.
If you want to replace difficult sections of lawn or cover sunny areas where grass struggles, these three drought-tolerant plants are strong options.
Angelina Sedum
Angelina sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’) forms a low carpet of succulent foliage that can handle dry soil and sunny conditions. Its chartreuse leaves provide most of the visual interest, making the plant useful even when it is not flowering.
Stems can root where they touch the soil, allowing the plant to spread across open areas. Good drainage matters, since sedums tolerate dry conditions much better than soil that remains wet around their roots.
Yellow Alyssum
Yellow alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis) combines gray-green foliage with clusters of bright yellow flowers. Its low, spreading growth works across dry beds, slopes, rock gardens, and along stone walls where other plants may struggle.
Once established, this perennial handles dry conditions and does best in sunny locations with well-drained soil. Its cascading growth also makes it useful where a groundcover needs to soften the edge of rocks or retaining walls.
Ice Plant
Ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) is another succulent groundcover suited to dry landscapes. Fleshy foliage spreads close to the ground, while vivid purple-pink flowers can cover the plant during its blooming period.
Drainage is especially important for ice plant because wet soil around the roots can cause problems. Plant it in a sunny, well-drained location where its drought tolerance and spreading habit can be put to use without frequent watering.
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