Plant This Flowering Ground Cover To Fill In Bare Patches In Your Yard

Bare patches in the lawn and garden can be the bane of any gardener's existence. If you're battling problems like shade, deer, or erosion in various parts of your yard, there are steps you can take while adding another layer to your landscape. Instead of fighting against these issues, planting a low-growing native ground cover like running strawberry bush (Euonymus obovatus) could be the answer to your problems.

Running strawberry bush can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9. The plant is essentially a short vine that grows to about 18 inches tall, preferring to spread up to 3 to 4 feet in moist, shady areas underneath trees. It's often used in wooded areas or as a ground cover under fruit trees. Running strawberry bush provides other unique advantages, including incredible fall foliage in various shades of purple and red. In the spring, this plant has an inconspicuous green flower, followed by red fruits in the summer. These fruits are poisonous to humans but appreciated by birds and insects.

Not only is the running strawberry bush a good way to attract birds to your garden, but the fact that it's native to North America is another benefit. As more people follow native landscape trends, plants like this one are gaining attention. Whether you use a running strawberry bush in a wet or low-light area of your backyard or add it to a wooded landscape, this plant is prized for being low- to no-maintenance.

Using native plants in their intended habitats can give your yard a well-managed look and result in you spending a lot less time and effort managing your garden than you otherwise might. Native design using plants like running strawberry bush also makes your garden better adapted to weather and climate extremes. And, compared to monocultures like grass lawns, it increases biodiversity and supports wildlife while remaining tolerant of deer.

When purchasing the running strawberry bush, don't confuse it with its close relative, Euonymus americanus, the American strawberry bush. Although they have a similar native plant range, the two are different in a few key ways, including the fact that the American strawberry bush grows to 6 feet tall. Euonymus obovatus, on the other hand, is an eco-friendly grass alternative for your lawn that maxes out at under 2 feet in height. Running strawberry bush can be purchased through online nurseries, or you may be able to request it through your local garden center if they don't already have it.

Plant running strawberry bush in the spring or fall in locations with partial to full shade, giving the plant plenty of room to spread to its full dimensions. Running strawberry bush plants need rich, well-drained soil that's moist to slightly dry, loamy, and even a bit rocky. Since they're rarer than other plants — only being found in the wild in certain distributions in Illinois — they're one of the best plants to grow for a biodiverse garden filled with native species, especially for gardeners looking for something unique to offer.