Plants for Ground Cover in Zone 4

United States Department of Agriculture Planting Zone 4 includes northern portions of New England and New York state as well as parts of the upper Midwest, northern Great Plains and some of the Rocky Mountain states. Ground cover plants suitable for these regions must have the ability to survive harsh winter weather along with typically cold temperatures.

Savin juniper (Juniperus sabina) is a spreading evergreen shrub that the University of Connecticut Plant Database notes is suitable as ground cover. Hardy up to Zone 3, which is even more northerly than Zone 4, Savin juniper has blue-green, scale-like foliage. Some of its cultivars grow only to heights of around 18 inches. One is the Arcadia, which can spread out to be as wide as 5 feet, while another is the Blue Forest, a form that grows out to a spread of about 3 feet and features upturned branches. The Buffalo hybrid, along with the Monna, are even shorter, at 1 foot and at 9 inches respectively. Savin juniper can grow in compacted soil, allowing you to plant it near foundations as ground cover.

Planting Zone 4 is in the northern portion of the growing range of creeping phlox (Phlox subulata). Many landscapers employ this plant in rock gardens. As a ground cover species, creeping phlox can develop in poor quality soils where few other plants compete with it for nutrients and moisture. Creeping phlox creates a thick mat imitating moss, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Growing in full sun, creeping phlox is evergreen in warmer regions, but may turn brown in Zone 4 winters before re-energizing in the spring. Creeping phlox produces purple, white and/or pink flowers in springtime.

Crown vetch (Coronilla varia) is a fast-growing ground cover for Zone 4 that is especially well adapted for dry banks. A single specimen may cover as much as a 6-foot diameter patch of ground, reports the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. Crown vetch emerges best when you plant it from its underground stems. It can withstand some degree of shade. Crown vetch has compound leaves, with each individual leaf composed of between 11 and 25 small leaflets on a central axis. Clusters of white-pink flowers resembling those of peas bloom from May through September on crown vetch.

The spotted dead nettle (Lamium maculatum) features such traits as showy flowers and colorful leaves, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Spotted dead nettle will form a mat that will be from 6 to 8 inches in height and it possesses a spread of up to 3 feet. This ground cover, which can survive in Zone 4, is a good fit for the alkaline soils on your property. Spotted dead nettle will have purple blossoms on its small stalks from May through the end of July. This low maintenance species does best in the shade. It has few insect pests, but may develop some bare patches within its ranks if the soil becomes too dry.