Pulling weeds is one way to deal with unwanted plants, but what if your landscaping could do the work for you? Weeds, like all plants, require light, water, nutrients, and space to grow. When they can’t access these elements, they fade from your garden.

Planting dense and/or fast-growing plants prevents weeds from receiving the light and water they need to thrive. You only need to plant perennials once to enjoy years of weed suppression, so they’re a long-lasting option for weed control.

I’ve gathered a list of perennials that crowd out weeds from your garden. Although you may still need to pull a few weeds here and there, you’ll be able to enjoy a garden filled with intentional beauty instead of uninvited weeds.

Moss Phlox

Forms dense mats that block weeds and stay tidy.

Moss phlox is one of my favorite landscaping plants for many reasons. It’s a native that thrives without much care and easily tolerates dry spells. Despite its low-maintenance style, it’s a beautiful plant that covers gardens in dense mats of foliage and delicate flowers. 

The perennials remain less than six inches tall and can handle dappled shade as well as full sun, so they’re perfect for filling in spaces between larger plants and adding intrigue to previously weedy rock gardens.

In the spring, the low-growing, flowering groundcovers become covered with flowers, and the blooms fade by the middle of summer. Although the flowers aren’t long-lived, the plants’ needle-like growth remains attractive throughout the summer and fall.

Coral Bells

Colorful foliage fills space and crowds out weeds.

Also known as alumroot, the Heuchera genus contains close to 50 species and hundreds of varieties. These perennials can tolerate many adverse conditions, including drought, high humidity, and heavy soils.

The plants produce clumps of lobed leaves that come in dozens of colors and patterns. You can find varieties with lime green leaves coupled with bright purple centers, cultivars with rich burgundy foliage, and even plants with deep purple leaves that appear almost black. In the summer, these perennials crowd out weeds and also send up slender stalks topped with tiny, bell-shaped flowers.

If you want to limit weed growth, space your coral bell plants 12-16 inches apart. The plants’ dense foliage will cover the empty ground and prevent weeds from growing.

Hosta

Big leaves smother weeds in shady spots.

Hostas are some of the best perennials to crowd out weeds in shady areas. Growers mainly plant them for their large leaves, but they also produce tall flower stalks with elongated, bell-shaped blooms.

Hostas are native to parts of Asia and Eastern Europe, but people have been growing them in the United States for over 150 years. They’re not invasive, so you don’t have to worry about them taking over your garden. However, they do grow into dense perennial clumps that crowd out weeds.

You can find hostas of varying heights, leaf shapes, and patterns, so look around until you see a variety you love. Smaller varieties require closer spacing to crowd weeds, and you can plant larger plants farther apart.

Ajuga

Spreads fast to cover ground and prevent weeds.

Known by the common name bugleweed, members of the Ajuga genus are fast-growing perennial groundcovers that can quickly crowd out weeds. The low-lying foliage forms a dense mat, and the perennials produce upright clusters of small, purple or pink flowers.

Ajuga isn’t native to the United States, and it can take over your garden if left unchecked. Consider only planting it in contained garden beds or in barren areas that are prone to erosion.

Coreopsis

Thick growth stops weeds and produces blooms nonstop.

These stunning native perennials brighten up gardens with their yellow or orange flowers. They continue to pump out new blooms throughout the growing season, especially if you deadhead old flowers.

Coreopsis spreads at its base, and its thick perennial foliage crowds out weeds that would otherwise grow. Species, including tall coreopsis and prairie coreopsis, have slender leaves, while lanceleaf coreopsis has wider foliage.

These perennials are drought-tolerant and can withstand poor soil, so they are a good choice for abandoned lots and recent construction sites. Not only will they crowd weeds, but they’ll also add beauty and provide food and habitat for pollinators.

Sedges

Clumping plants slowly spread to cover bare soil.

There are thousands of species in the Carex genus, and all are commonly known as sedges. These grass-like perennials can grow to form dense mats, which makes them excellent perennials to crowd out weeds.

Different sedge species are native to regions throughout the world, and you can find many sedges native to North America.

Some grow well in full sun and others in shade, so pay attention to each sedge’s ideal growing conditions and choose accordingly. Some species that grow well in the United States include Pennsylvania sedge, Cherokee Sedge, and palm sedge.

Most sedges grow in clumps that spread over time. If you’re starting from scratch, you can sow seeds or transplant plugs a foot apart. There may be gaps in the first year of growth, but they will eventually spread to fill in these spaces.

Sedum

Autumn blooms bring soft color when other flowers fade.

Sedum is a large genus of perennials with succulent foliage. Some sedum species are trailing perennials that remain close to the ground, and others produce upright stems that grow over a foot tall. Both of these growth habits can prevent weed growth, as long as they are planted with the proper spacing.

Woodland stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) is a low-growing sedum that’s native to much of the Eastern United States. It can grow well in shady and moist areas as long as it has good drainage, and produces white, star-shaped flowers. ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum is a taller variety that produces large clusters of tiny pink flowers.

Rudbeckia

A natural garden favorite that brightens late summer to fall.

Rudbeckia species are some of the most common and beloved native wildflowers, thanks to their bright flowers and hardy nature. Plus, these perennials crowd out weeds as long as you plant them at a tight enough spacing. A single one won’t suppress many weeds, but planting them every 6-12 inches will form a dense canopy that crowds out unwanted weeds.

The most well-known Rudbeckia species is the black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), and you can find many cultivars within this species. Other beloved options include the great coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima) and brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba).

Some Rudbeckia have a short lifespan of only a few years. However, they will self-seed and produce new seedlings, so you only need to plant these perennials once.

Dianthus

Low-growing types make a lovely, fragrant ground-hugging carpet.

The Dianthus genus contains various plants known as carnations or pinks. All of these produce round flowers with fringed petals, but the species vary in height and appearance. Many types of Dianthus can crowd out weeds when they’re densely planted, but low-growing species are the best at this job.