The Fast-Growing Ground Cover You'll Regret Planting In Your Yard

If you have difficult areas in your garden where grass won't grow or you just don't like mowing, you might have considered a few fast-growing ground covers to replace traditional grass. While there are plenty of drought-tolerant ground covers you can easily grow in your yard, you'll want to make your choice carefully, as some of these may require even more heavy toil than a lawn. One species that requires such careful evaluation is the Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum), which has been hailed as a fantastic way to cover bare patches of ground quickly. Asiatic jasmine has green glossy leaves and delightfully fragrant white flowers that bloom in spring and summer. The reason this plant has been so popular is because it's resistant to deer and most diseases, is drought-tolerant, can handle heavy shade, and will grow well in USDA Hardiness zones 7 through 11. However, you might just regret planting this attractive groundcover because it can also take over your yard unless you spend lots of time pruning and mowing it to keep it in check. 

Although it's not generally regarded as invasive, Asiatic jasmine is an aggressive grower that can cover your yard very quickly. Therefore, this is one species you may want to avoid if you're not prepared to put in the work required to control its spread. You'll find that one of the easiest ways to keep your overgrown yard under control is to avoid both invasive species and those that exhibit an aggressive growth habit, including Asiatic jasmine. However, if you've already planted this ground cover in your yard, you'll want to know how best to limit its growth so it doesn't take over.

Asiatic jasmine is a vining plant which doesn't climb. The growing stems just spread over the ground, but whenever a section of stem with a bud comes into contact with the soil, roots will form in that spot. It's this sprawling growth pattern that enables this species can expand so quickly and easily. The first thing you need to know is that neglecting your plant should make it less aggressive. Too much care will only speed up the growth, so avoid showering this already-hardy plant with lots of water or fertilizer.

Another way you can restrict the expansion of your Asiatic jasmine is to mow it. This can be done in spring and should help to combat some of the plant's aggressiveness. If it's growing next to a path or walkway, you can also use pruning shears to trim the vines back as soon as they start to encroach on these areas. Just bear in mind that the stems weep a milky white sap when cut, which can be extremely sticky and cause skin irritation in some people. For this reason, it's a good idea to wear gloves anytime you work with this plant. In the future, steer clear of fast-spreading invasive ground covers by choosing better alternatives. You might even like to consider one of the variegated cultivars of Asiatic jasmine as an alternative because these are less vigorous.