ground cover

or groundcover

noun

1. the herbaceous plants and low shrubs in a forest, considered as a whole.
2. any of a variety of low-growing or trailing plants used to cover the ground in areas where grass is difficult to grow, as in dense shade or on steep slopes.

ground cover

noun

1. 1. dense low herbaceous plants and shrubs that grow over the surface of the ground, esp, in a forest, preventing soil erosion or, in a garden, stifling weeds
   2. ( as modifier )

      ground-cover plants

Word History and Origins

Origin of ground cover¹

First recorded in 1895–1900