The Fast-Growing Ground Cover That'll Thrive In Your Shady Flower Bed

Finding the right plants to fill a shady garden bed can be difficult. Shaded areas require a specific type of plant that won't be diminished due to lack of sunlight. Plus, it should be a lovely addition to your flower bed. Thankfully, the many-named wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) is the perennial ground cover that your shady garden spot needs. Also known as spotted cranesbill, alum root, and wood geranium, wild geranium is a native to eastern North America. It grows in clumps that rapidly expand through clones of single plants. If you require a ground cover for your flower bed, wild geranium can make it a reality quickly and efficiently. 

It's good to choose the best ground cover for your climate conditions. Hardy from zones 3 to 11, wild geranium is an all-around ground cover option for moist, shady gardens throughout the U.S. Naturally found in nutrient-rich woodlands and forests, especially stream sides and swampland, this flower is both pollinator-friendly and attractive with foliage reminiscent of maple leaves. It blooms for about a month in late spring to early summer with flowers that range from pale pink to lavender. Wild geranium tolerates sunny conditions as long as you provide appropriate levels of moisture so that it doesn't dry out.

When growing wild geranium as a ground cover, it works best in a border bed alongside a home, the edge of a lawn, or around a tree. The spreading growth of this perennial is a result of shallow roots spread horizontally from one plant, which means it will easily spread in a selected area. These rhizomes, or horizontally spreading stems, help the plant form 12 to 18 inch tall mounds that reach about 12 to 18 inches around. 

Once established, you can count on it to require little attention and for it to never become invasive. A major reason why you should use ground cover plants in your flower beds instead of mulch is to suppress the growth of grass and weeds. Wild geraniums will naturalize in an area, which means they will grow and reproduce easily, which can help keep out unwelcome weeds. They will also successfully add color to shady flower beds. 

Wild geraniums also make an excellent addition to a shaded rain garden in your yard. If you're considering planting a rain garden, find plants that thrive in wet areas that might not receive a lot of sunlight. Rain gardens often have plants at the edges that thrive in not too wet and not too dry conditions, like wild geraniums. This species prefers moisture-rich conditions and can tolerate occasionally wet soil, making it a good rain garden addition.