When you think of invasive plants, you might picture tall shrubs or weeds choking a forest edge. But some of the most aggressive invaders are right underfoot — literally. Ground covers that were once beloved for their low maintenance and fast growth are now overwhelming gardens and creeping into Ohio’s woodlands and streambanks.

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the worst offenders, why they’re a problem, and what native alternatives you can use instead.

What Makes a Ground Cover “Invasive”?

Ground covers are meant to spread. But when a plant grows so aggressively that it escapes the garden, displaces native plants, and alters ecosystems, it’s considered invasive.

In Northeast Ohio, our mild winters and rich soils create the perfect conditions for certain species to go wild. Once established, they can smother spring wildflowers, prevent tree seedlings from sprouting, and even climb trees or walls, damaging bark and masonry.

The Top Invasive Ground Covers in Northeast Ohio

1. Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)

Origin: East Asia
Why it’s invasive:
Wintercreeper was introduced as a decorative evergreen vine, but it doesn’t know when to stop. It spreads by both root and seed, carpeting the ground and climbing trees and fences. Once it reaches the canopy, it can strangle branches and block sunlight.

How to spot it:
Glossy, evergreen leaves with light veins. Creeps along the ground or climbs vertically.

Better alternatives:

• Wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
• Green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
• Appalachian barren strawberry (Geum fragarioides)

2. Periwinkle / Vinca (Vinca minor and Vinca major)

Origin: Europe and the Mediterranean
Why it’s invasive:
Sold for decades as a shade-loving carpet plant, periwinkle forms dense mats that exclude all other vegetation. It’s commonly found spilling out of old garden beds into nearby woods.

How to spot it:
Shiny, oval leaves and lilac-blue flowers in spring.

Better alternatives:

• Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
• Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
• Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

3. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

Origin: Europe
Why it’s invasive:
English ivy climbs trees, smothers trunks, and weakens them, leading to blowdowns in storms. It also harbors moisture against bark, promoting rot and disease. On the ground, it forms an impenetrable carpet that blocks native seedlings.

Better alternatives:

• Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) – similar look, native, and wildlife-friendly
• Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
• Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata)

4. Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna)

Origin: Europe
Why it’s invasive:
Lesser celandine (often mistaken for native marsh marigold) carpets floodplains and shady lawns in early spring, blooming bright yellow before vanishing in summer. The problem? It emerges earlier than almost any native wildflower, hogging sunlight and nutrients.

Better alternatives:

• Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) – the native look-alike
• Wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)

5. Crown Vetch (Securigera varia)

Origin: Europe and Asia
Why it’s invasive:
Once promoted for erosion control, crown vetch is still found along highways and slopes — and spreading. It sends out thick, creeping roots and blankets large areas, choking out native grasses and forbs.

Better alternatives:

• Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
• Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis)
• Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

What You Can Do

1. Inspect your yard regularly — look along fences, under trees, and at property edges.

2. Pull or dig small patches before they spread; for established infestations, cut and treat regrowth as needed.

3. Avoid “pass-along” plants from older gardens unless you’re sure they’re noninvasive.

4. Choose native ground covers — they’re adapted to our soils and climate, and they support Ohio’s pollinators and wildlife.

5. Check the Ohio Invasive Plants Council list to make sure what you plant isn’t on the state’s prohibited list.

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