Looking for beautiful plants to fill your Florida patio containers? Ground covers are perfect for adding texture and color while handling our hot, humid climate. These low-growing plants create stunning cascades over pot edges and require less maintenance than many other container options.
Your outdoor space can look amazing year-round with these Florida-friendly ground cover choices.
1. Sweet Potato Vine
Cascading over container edges with vibrant lime, purple, or bronze heart-shaped leaves, sweet potato vine creates instant drama. The rapid growth means your containers will look full and lush in just weeks.
Unlike its edible cousin, this ornamental variety focuses on foliage rather than tubers. Plant it in well-draining soil and provide regular water during hot spells for best results.
2. Creeping Jenny
Bright chartreuse coins of foliage spill dramatically from containers, creating a waterfall effect that brightens shady spots. Creeping Jenny tolerates Florida’s occasional cold snaps while thriving in our humidity.
Give this easy-care plant consistently moist soil and watch it spread. During summer, tiny yellow flowers appear as a bonus attraction. In containers, it stays well-behaved compared to garden plantings where it can sometimes become too enthusiastic.
3. Blue Daze
Morning brings a spectacular display of sky-blue flowers that open across the silvery-green foliage of Blue Daze. Native to Brazil, this plant feels right at home in Florida’s similar climate conditions.
Position containers in full sun for maximum flowering. The drought-tolerant nature makes it perfect for snowbirds who can’t water regularly. Trim occasionally to maintain its neat, mounding habit and prevent legginess.
4. Perennial Peanut
Florida gardeners treasure perennial peanut for its drought resistance and cheery yellow flowers that resemble tiny butterflies. The dense mat of bright green leaves creates excellent coverage in containers while handling our scorching summers with ease.
Unlike many flowering plants, perennial peanut maintains its attractive appearance year-round. As a legume, it actually improves soil by fixing nitrogen, benefiting neighboring plants. No actual peanuts are produced, making it safe around those with allergies.
5. Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’
Resembling a cascade of shimmering silver coins, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ creates dramatic trailing effects from hanging baskets and tall containers. The metallic foliage reflects Florida’s abundant sunlight, adding dimension to container arrangements.
Heat and humidity don’t faze this tough plant. During occasional dry spells, the leaves may curl slightly but quickly recover with watering. Plant in well-draining soil and provide moderate moisture for best results.
6. Portulaca (Moss Rose)
Succulent leaves store water like tiny reservoirs, making portulaca practically bulletproof in Florida’s heat. The brilliant rose-like blooms appear in hot pinks, oranges, yellows and whites, opening fully during sunny days.
Sandy soil and infrequent watering keep these plants happiest. Their shallow root systems make them perfect for shallow decorative containers. For continuous flowering, place in your sunniest spots and occasionally pinch back leggy growth.
7. Lantana ‘New Gold’
Masses of golden flower clusters attract butterflies while the plant’s spreading habit creates beautiful container spillover. ‘New Gold’ lantana maintains a compact form compared to other varieties, making it container-perfect.
Practically indestructible in Florida conditions, lantana shrugs off heat, drought, and salt spray. Occasional deadheading keeps the blooms coming continuously. Provide excellent drainage and full sun for best performance in your container garden.
8. Dwarf Mondo Grass
Creating the appearance of a miniature lawn in containers, dwarf mondo grass forms tidy clumps of grass-like foliage. The deep green color remains vibrant even during Florida’s hottest months, providing reliable structure to container arrangements.
Shade tolerance makes this plant valuable for brightening dark corners of patios and balconies. Once established, mondo grass requires minimal care beyond occasional watering. The slow growth means containers stay neat without frequent trimming.
9. Alternanthera ‘Purple Knight’
Deep burgundy-purple leaves create dramatic contrast against lighter container companions. ‘Purple Knight’ alternanthera maintains its rich color even in Florida’s intense sunlight, where many purple plants fade.
The upright growth habit transitions to a graceful cascade as stems lengthen. Occasional pinching promotes bushiness and prevents legginess. Surprisingly drought-tolerant once established, this plant performs beautifully in Florida’s challenging summer conditions.
10. Sedum ‘Angelina’
Needle-like succulent foliage in electric chartreuse-gold creates textural interest in container arrangements. ‘Angelina’ sedum handles Florida’s occasional dry spells with ease, storing water in its fleshy leaves.
During cooler months, the tips take on coral-orange tones for added visual interest. Excellent drainage is crucial for preventing rot in our humid climate. Plant in cactus mix or add extra perlite to regular potting soil for best results.
11. Ajuga ‘Chocolate Chip’
Miniature chocolate-burgundy leaves form a tight carpet that transitions beautifully from container to spill-over. ‘Chocolate Chip’ ajuga offers the bonus of vibrant blue flower spikes in spring, creating striking seasonal interest.
Unlike many ground covers, ajuga performs admirably in partial shade, brightening darker corners of Florida patios. The heat tolerance is surprisingly good for a plant that looks so delicate. Provide consistent moisture without waterlogging for best growth.