7 Groundcover Plants with Yellow Flowers

*This post may have affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclaimer for additional details..

Whether you are trying to revamp or resolve a problem in your yard, you can always count on groundcover plants to get the job done.

Groundcover plants with yellow flowers will add vibrant color to your yard while resolving issues like pests, weeds, and erosion.

These benefits don’t end with the blooming season because they are perennial plants with equally beautiful foliage that serves the same purposes.

Here is everything you need to know about the most common groundcover plants with yellow flowers.

Table of Contents

1. Spring Cinquefoil

Also known as spotted cinquefoil, spring cinquefoil is a must-have if you are looking for a groundcover plant to add vibrant color to your backyard or sunny border.

As the name suggests, spring cinquefoil is a spring-flowering perennial that thrives in full sun and is easy to care for, making it ideal for beginners.

It has a medium growth rate with a spread of 8 to 12 inches and a height of 6 to 8 inches. Luckily, you can manage this growth by regularly pruning for a lush yellow and deep green groundcover.

Another reason spring cinquefoil is so common is that it also blooms in summer, with autumn being the best time for propagation. If winter is mild where you live, you can consider your spotted cinquefoil an evergreen.

USDA Growing Zone: 3 through 9
Bloom Season: Mid- and late spring to early summer
Growing Conditions: Full to part sun
Soil Type: Sandy or normal but with excellent drainage
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Acidic, neutral, or alkaline

2. Barren Strawberry

Yellow waldsteinia flowers commonly known as barren strawberry in springtime

Easy-to-grow groundcover plants with yellow flowers don’t get better than the barren strawberry. As you may have already guessed, it gets its name from its unmistakable resemblance to the edible strawberry plant.

As a groundcover plant, the barren strawberry can spread 48 inches and grow as high as 6 inches. This extensive growth is the reason it is considered an invasive groundcover plant by some.

This perennial dies down in the winter, but it greens up in the spring. Barren strawberry remains evergreen in areas with mild winters.

Barren strawberry is easy to grow, as it thrives in full sun or partial shade in a variety of soils.

Though it also bears fruit after flowering, its berries are inedible even to wildlife, which guarantees that you will not have any interference from animals.

USDA Growing Zone: 4 through 9
Bloom Season: Spring to summer
Growing Conditions: Full or part shade
Soil Type: Moderately acidic soil types
Propagation: Seeding and division
Care: Minimal

3. Wooly Yarrow

Achillea tomentosa or yellow yarrow felt

Wooly yarrow is a low-growing perennial that makes a great groundcover for your rock garden. It blooms in dense clusters of yellow flowers from spring to summer and is suited for dry and sandy soils with proper drainage.

As a groundcover that spreads further than it grows tall, wooly yarrow can withstand light foot traffic.

Wooly yarrow is as resistant to animals like rabbits and deer as it is to drought.

Though quite hardy, wooly yarrow cannot tolerate high heat and humidity and should be protected from strong winds.

Consider deadheading blossoms for maximum blooming. What’s more, pruning your plant after flowering may also stimulate blooming in the fall while keeping your groundcover tidy.

Bloom Season: Spring to summer
Maintenance: Low
USDA Growing Zone: 3 through 7
Growth rate: Slow
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil Type: Sandy, silt, or rocky
Soil pH: Alkaline, acidic, neutral
Propagation: Seed, division, stem cutting

4. Yellow Alyssum

Close up on mountain alison - yellow allysum montanum

Commonly known as “basket of gold,” yellow alyssum is a worthy consideration for anybody looking for groundcover plants with yellow flowers.

Alyssum looks enchanting cascading down hanging planters or sprawling across a rocky garden.

This evergreen displays vivid contrast between its clustered yellow flowers and gray-green foliage for four to six weeks in spring. For a more stunning look, you can plant your yellow alyssum among candytuft and moss phlox.

When it comes to growing conditions, yellow alyssum is happy in dry and well-drained, average to sandy soils. And while it enjoys full sun exposure, afternoon shade comes in handy in hot weather.

To stimulate further blooming, prune a third of the plant after the initial blossoms fade.

To prevent legginess, be careful how much shade your yellow alyssum grows in, especially if you live in a hot climate.

USDA Growing Zones: 3 through 7
Sun Exposure: Full sun with partial shade in hot weather areas
Maintenance and care: Low
Soil Needs: Well-drained average to sandy soils
Soil pH: Neutral, acidic, alkaline

5. Yellow Archangel

Blooming yellow archangel flowers in sunny day

You can never go wrong with yellow archangel if you are looking for a low-maintenance groundcover plant with yellow flowers.

But don’t let its low upkeep fool you.

This semi-evergreen perennial boasts intricate flower arrangements that perfectly contrast with its variegated foliage.

That said, yellow archangel’s rapid growth can threaten the growth of other native plants. This is the main reason why it is not advisable to plant it near parks or forests.

As far as growing conditions go, yellow archangel will thrive in part- to full-shade and in moist soils. What’s more, it’s moderately tolerant of dry weather and drought.

Pair it with other shade-loving perennials like wild ginger, ferns, and bleeding hearts for the perfect contrast.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 through 9
Sun Exposure: Part to full shade
Soil Needs: Medium moisture, well-draining
Growth: Rapid
Maintenance: Low
Plant size: 1 to 2 feet height and spread

6. ‘Angelina’ Stonecrop

‘Angelina’ stonecrop is a popular evergreen groundcover plant — and for good reason. Besides occasional watering, this perennial requires little to no care after it has adjusted to its environment.

You can always expect perfect harmony between its yellow needle-shaped foliage and the clusters of yellow blossoms in midsummer, giving you the perfect groundcover.

Being a succulent perennial, ‘Angelina’ will also look wonderful cascading from planters.

With a height of 4 to 6 inches, some people may feel like it’s tall for a groundcover, but you can always prune it to your desired size. The clippings make great floral displays in a vase, or you can propagate them elsewhere in your garden.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 through 9
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Needs: Clay, chalk, sandy or loamy, and well-draining
Maintenance: Low
Soil type: Acidic, alkaline, neutral

7. Yellow Ice Plant

Yellow flowers of a delosperma nubigenum or ice-plant

Besides being easy to grow, the yellow ice plant is a popular groundcover for its ornamental qualities.

These perennial succulents bloom from spring to fall with tons of bright yellow blossoms that entirely cover their fleshy leaves.

The yellow ice plant enjoys full sun and dry to medium well-drained soil types. Being a succulent, it is drought- and heat-tolerant, which are the desert conditions you should try to mimic.

Apart from being a great groundcover, the elegant beauty of the hardy yellow ice plant makes it ideal for containers, rock gardens, border fronts, and banks and slopes, as well as any other sunny, dry area in your property.

Bloom Season: Late spring through fall
USDA Growing Zone: 4 through 9
Maintenance: Low
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil pH: Neutral, alkaline, acidic
Soil Type: Dry sandy, well-drained
Size: Up to 24 inches tall and wide

Final Thoughts

Regardless of what your gardening goal is, you can never go wrong with any of these versatile groundcover plants with yellow flowers. The best part is that most of these groundcovers are easy to care for, making them ideal plants for novice gardeners to try out.