17 Indestructible Plants for Your Rock Garden

Rock gardens offer beautiful, functional solutions to challenging landscapes. Slopes and terraces, eroded or disturbed sites, high elevations, xeric conditions, and soils with rocky substrates are harsh situations for many plants. But for others, it’s their natural habitat, with the cultural conditions necessary to thrive. From mountainsides to canyons to coastal cliffs, selections adapted to well-draining and lean soils are a fit for the rockery.

Rock gardens work with hearty selections and with topography to create a blend of color and texture. Relying on perennials while providing an evergreen backdrop brings multi-season appeal. The durable combination makes for an easy spread of indestructible rock garden plants.

Bearberry

	botanical name Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-12”
	hardiness zones 3-7

Bearberry is about as close as we get to an evergreen groundcover or small shrub that’s indestructible in the rock garden. The hardy, broadleaf creeper occurs across growing conditions in the wild, including rocky sites where it’s a valuable stabilizer. The North American native has a wide range in northern growing zones and spreads slowly. 

Not only rugged, bearberry (also called kinnickinnick) provides interest across the seasons with blooms and berries valuable for wildlife. Small, pinkish-white summer flowers lead to green drupes that turn bright red in fall. The thick, dark green leaves take on bronze tinges in cold weather.

With a natural habitat of rocky areas, open woodlands, and meadows, the low evergreen grows best in dry situations. It tolerates varying light exposures, including dappled sun under tree canopy. It thrives in arid, cool climates, and as such, high humidity is a limitation. Let the groundcover gently spill at the base of rocks, along slopes, and near walkways.

Creeping Phlox

	botanical name Phlox stolonifera
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-12”
	hardiness zones 5-8

Creeping phlox is a cold-hardy, low-growing spreader with dense foliage and fragrant purple-blue blooms. Like bearberry, the easy-care perennials are versatile across situations, from rockeries to erosion stabilization zones.

In the spring, petite flowers emerge in clusters on the tips of stems for a blanket of color. Needle-like, semi-evergreen leaves create a loose carpet that softens the display even when not in flower.

‘Sherwood Purple’ brings lilac shades on short, erect stems that rise above the foliage. It also grows vigorously with a uniform habit for a good show of color and foliage. In contrast, ‘Fran’s Purple’ is slightly larger and a strong performer with mildew resistance. ‘Home Fires’ is a robust, pink-blooming variety with matching disease resistance.

Columbine

	botanical name Aquilegia spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Columbine has graceful blooms that nod with detailed ornament. The wildflowers range from vibrant red and yellow to rich blues, purples, and pinks, depending on the species and variety. Hummingbirds and other pollinators visit the tubular blooms for nectar, and birds feed on the seeds in the fall.

Columbine is a North American native with a natural habitat along woodland edges, clearings, and streambanks. From Rocky Mountain blue (Aquilegia coerulea) to Western (A. formosa) to Eastern red (A. canadensis), there’s a species across regions. They grow best in moderately moist, well-drained soils, but tolerate dry conditions once established. The semi-evergreen perennial enters dormancy when temperatures rise or fall in extremes, to flush again as weather moderates.

Columbine tolerates sun in cool climates. It prefers afternoon shade protection in those with hot, direct afternoon sun, especially in a gravel mulch that reflects light.

Stonecrop

	botanical name Sedum spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-24”
	hardiness zones 3-9

Sedum, or stonecrop, is a nearly indestructible rock garden plant. With dynamic, succulent foliage in unique shapes and forms, the drought-tolerant perennials bring high visual interest. And they thrive with neglect, given well-draining soils. Whether growing a low, spreading variety or a tall, upright one, they bring easy appeal to dry sites.

‘Golden Carpet’ and ‘Angelina’ soften stony edges with an easy spreading habit and golden chartreuse stems. ‘October Daphne’ has low, rounded, blue-green leaves with pink edges that get brighter in the summer heat. In late summer, little pink flowers emerge among color-transitioning foliage in pink, orange, yellow, and red.

For a fall-flowering groundcover, opt for Sedum ‘Yellow  Brick Road.’ The low-growers have deep green, mounding, and spreading foliage. Small yellow blooms show full color in mid-to-late summer and early autumn. Hylotelephium ‘Autumn Fire’ has tight branching, bright, rosy pink blooms, and large, padded leaves. Stout stems support numerous flat-topped flower clusters in fall.

The late-season flowers of stonecrop are a food source for bees and butterflies, followed by seeds for birds. Let them persist on the stem for extended interest as seedheads.

Deadnettle

	botanical name Lamium maculatum
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 6-9”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Spotted deadnettle, or Lamium, is tough as nails in dry, shady zones. The soft leaves shine in silver, green, gold, and variegated, depending on the variety. Deadnettle forms a soft mat, and in late spring, prolific pink, purple, and white flowers appear. The little blooms occur sporadically until frost. 

While Lamium performs well in dry sites, it declines in wet soils, high heat, and humidity. With excess moisture, it falls victim to crown rot.

Spotted deadnettle spreads aggressively in its optimal growing conditions. If it’s invasive in your area, look to other shade-loving alternatives like bearberry. Where not invasive, easily pluck any running stems to keep them in bounds.

Woolly Thyme

	botanical name Thymus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-18”
	hardiness zones 4-9

In addition to its culinary use, thyme has ornamental value in nestling into small spaces and crevices. The almost indestructible plant is a durable fit for spilling out of stone walls, tucking between stepping stones, and running between boulders. Woolly thyme (Thymus praecox) and creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) are particularly useful as groundcovers.

These species bring small leaves along wiry stems and delicate flowers that attract pollinators. They spread slowly, needing few resources as they grow. Provide full sun, fast-draining soils, and ample air circulation. The perennial herbs are drought-tolerant once established.

Mexican Bush Sage

	botanical name Salvia leucantha
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 7-10

Mexican bush sage flourishes in high heat and well-draining soils. The salvia features velvety purple and white blooms in late summer through fall. The pollinator favorites produce nectar-rich tubular blooms late in the season when other bloomers fade. Salvia leucantha has long stems lined with silvery gray, aromatic foliage.

Mexican bush sage blooms profusely with cultivars varying shades of purple, pink, and white. They include ‘Danielle’s Dream’ with pink flowers and ‘All Purple’ with royal purple blooms. ‘Santa Barbara’ has a compact habit and fits in smaller spaces.

Wild Ginger

	botanical name Asarum spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Wild ginger is another pick for shady areas with leathery, dark green, heart-shaped leaves. Surfaces show pronounced silver patterns, depending on the variety. Hairy stems and fleshy, edible roots have a spicy ginger aroma and flavor.

The perennial groundcover is diminutive with a mounding, spreading habit to slowly form a colony. Wild ginger tolerates various soil types, including clay and rocky compositions, making it suitable for rock and rain gardens alike.

Asarum canadense is a North American wild ginger with large leaves that thrive in cool climates. The species is hardy in zones 3-7 and tolerates moist soils, eroded sites, and heavy shade.

Lance Selfheal

	botanical name Prunella vulgaris subsp. lanceolata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-20”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Lance selfheal is a tough perennial with a widespread native range across the northern hemisphere. It has purple bloom spikes that are pollinator magnets, and it’s a host plant for the clouded sulfur butterfly. The nectar and pollen-rich flowers emerge in spring and continue through frost.

Gardeners are divided on the wildflower perennial, which makes a durable turf alternative but also spreads readily with a weedy tendency that can outcompete nearby perennials. Either way, we cannot deny that this plant is nearly indestructible in rock gardens and disturbed sites.

Reserve lance self-heal for bounded areas that still give it room to run, like slopes, eroded sites, and lawn replacement. It tolerates foot traffic and mowing to keep it low, and may serve to break up gravel-mulch zones.

Dudleya

	botanical name Dudleya spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-24”
	hardiness zones 9-11

Dudleyas are Western succulents for warm climates, or are prime for featuring in pots and containers in cooler zones. In various sizes, forms, and colors, they stand out in a xeric arrangement. Also called ‘liveforevers”, they adapt to challenging sites and marginal habitats with little oversight.

Dudleya farinosa is a small, easy-to-grow species that forms a colony of pale green leaves with red edges. The red coloration intensifies in the summer, and clusters of yellow spring flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.

Britton dudleya (D. brittonii) forms a rosette of flattened and padded blue-gray leaves. In spring, flower stalks rise over one foot tall with pale yellow blooms. The Baja native and Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit species tolerates coastal conditions.

Dudleya clings to rocky outcrops and works well spilling over revices, on inclines, or nestled into rock walls. Keep them dry in the summer and provide well-draining soils to mimic their natural environment. 

Blue Flax

	botanical name Linum lewisii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Blue flax grows across elevations with cheerful blue flowers in summer. They open in the morning and close or drop in the bright afternoon sun. Native bees and honeybees visit and pollinate each five-petaled blossom. Each stem produces multiple flowers, with the lower blooms producing seeds while the upper stems continue to grow and bloom.

L. lewisii is named for explorer Meriwether Lewis, who collected the specimens on his westward journey. The low-maintenance, nearly indestructible plants thrive in dry, disturbed sites and work well on sloped rock gardens as erosion control. 

Lupine

	botanical name Lupinus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-5’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Lupine enchants with lovely bell blooms in blues, purples, pinks, whites, and yellows. The graceful ornamentals are also rugged, popping up in various site conditions with lean soils and withstanding moisture fluctuations.

Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis) is native to eastern North America. Sky-blue flowers are often bicolor purple and blue or blue and white. The palmate leaves are attractive even when not in flower.

Meadow lupine, or Lupinus polyphyllus, is one of the showiest species, with violet bloom spikes above a blue-green cushion of leaves. At a robust three to five feet tall, it’s a vigorous, adaptable perennial. In the West and Pacific Northwest, it serves a valuable role in ecosystem management by providing erosion control, soil improvement, and pollinator resources. Outside its native range, it can spread aggressively, particularly in the northeastern U.S. 

Santolina

	botanical name Santolina chamaecyparissus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 6-9

Lavender cotton, or santolina, is an Old World herb with aromatic, silvery foliage. The mounding groundcover shows hearty adaptability with drought-tolerance, coastal exposure, and high heat. In the summer, lavender cotton produces masses of golden yellow button blooms.

The Mediterranean selection prefers well-draining soils that dry out between watering sessions. They adapt to different soil types, from sandy to clay to rocky. The arid herb dislikes humidity, where fungal diseases become a problem.

Santolina grows best in average, well-draining soils that dry out between waterings. The almost-indestructible plant adapts to various soil types beneath a rock garden, whether sandy, clay, or gravelly. 

Agave

	botanical name Agave americana
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-10’
	hardiness zones 8-11

Agave brings architecture to the indestructible rock garden plant palette. The stately succulent has broad, structural, blue-green leaves with sharp spines along the margins and tips. Cultivars bring ribbons of color in greens, gold, and silver.

The desert flower produces a single bloom stalk once in its life, usually within 10 to 30 years, but sometimes up to 80 or longer. The 30-foot-tall stalk holds nectar-filled bloom clusters. The unique stems produce new “pups” as the mother plant fades. 

Agave americana has uses dating back 8,000 years, when Aztecs used it for food, drink, and tools. Agave needs warm climates and fast-draining soils to thrive. 

Creeping Juniper

	botanical name Juniperus horizontalis
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6-18”
	hardiness zones 3-9

Creeping juniper provides a year-round layer of texture and color. Synonymous with rock gardens, they soften the arrangement with their densely needled forms. The evergreens retain a low profile while creating an expansive spread of ten feet wide, depending on the variety. 

Creeping juniper has a native range across much of North America. With many cultivars, it’s possible to create a tapestry of interest among rocky outcrops and in gravel gardens. ‘Blue Rug’ is the lowest growing and also one of the slowest growing. It’s also among the most adaptable and drought-tolerant. It’s extremely cold-hardy, withstanding high desert conditions and fluctuating temperatures.

Turkestan Tulip

	botanical name Tulipa turkestanica
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 8-10”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Adding flowering bulbs to the rockery brings seasonal surprise with little to no extra care. T. turkestanica, a perennializing tulip, is one of the first to show among the genus. The naturalizing wildflower has delicate, open flowers. Starry greenish-white petals have dusky violet brushes and golden centers and offer early resources for insects.

Species tulips are long-lived and naturalize well in their optimal environments. The Turkistan tulip is an Award of Garden Merit recipient and a 1875 heirloom. In its native range of Central Asia, it grows in hot, dry summers and cold winters along stony ledges.

Blue Fescue

	botanical name Festuca glauca
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10-12”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Ornamental grasses add sway and movement in diverse forms. Many natives and their cultivars are drought-tolerant and prefer lean soils to overly fertile ones. Blue fescue is a favorite for its compact habit and fine, blue-gray blades. The silvery blue foliage cools a summertime display and is right in time with a stone aesthetic.