15 Fast Spreading Perennials

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15 Fast-Spreading Perennials to Fill Your Garden Quick and Easy

If I’m trying to fill a new garden bed quickly or want more bang for my buck when it comes to planting, fast-spreading perennials are my best friends. These plants grow and multiply each year, filling space, crowding out weeds, and adding lasting beauty—all with minimal maintenance.

Here are 15 of my favorite fast-spreading perennials that help me build a lush garden faster than I ever thought possible.

Note: I have included links to resources on how to grow most of the plants, so you can have all the details for success!

Be sure to grab the PDF list you can download and print, the link is near the end of this post.

1. Catmint (Nepeta)

• Zones: 3–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Why It Spreads Fast: Forms large mounds and self-seeds readily. Tolerates drought and poor soil.
• Note: many named cultivars do not self-seed. You can take cuttings or root divisions to increase them in your garden.

Lavender-blue blooms attract bees and butterflies all summer.

2. Bee Balm (Monarda)

• Zones: 3–9
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Spreads by rhizomes to form dense colonies.

Hummingbird magnet with bold, shaggy blooms in red, pink, and purple.

3. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

• Zones: 3–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Why It Spreads Fast: Spreads by underground stems and self-seeds generously. (not all cultivars spread by underground stems but most do self seed readily)

Golden blooms add late-summer color and attract pollinators.

4. Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)

• Zones: 4–9
• Sun: Full sun to light shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Creeping stems root along the soil surface to form thick mats.

Soft, silver leaves offer texture and act as living mulch.

5. Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

• Zones: 4–8
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Spreads by rhizomes and reseeds under ideal conditions.

Fragrant, showy blooms in midsummer that butterflies love.

6. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

• Zones: 3–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Why It Spreads Fast: Rhizomatous roots and self-seeding ensure fast colonization.

Drought-tolerant and excellent for naturalistic gardens.

7. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum)

• Zones: 5–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Why It Spreads Fast: Spreads via rhizomes and seeds easily if not deadheaded.

Classic white daisy blooms return bigger every year.

8. Hardy Geranium (Geranium spp.)

• Zones: 3–8
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Many species form dense mats or self-seed prolifically.

A great filler under shrubs or as ground cover.

9. Jupiter’s Beard (Centranthus ruber and alba)

• Zones: 4–9
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Reseeds readily and forms bushy clumps that expand quickly.

Pink or white flowers bloom repeatedly from late spring to frost.

10. Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.)

• Zones: 4–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Why It Spreads Fast: Self-seeds freely and forms colonies via underground growth.

Cheerful yellow or pink blooms light up the summer garden.

11. Hosta (Hosta spp.)

• Zones: 3–9
• Sun: Shade to part shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Clumps increase yearly and are easily divided in spring or fall.

A must-have for shade gardens, available in a rainbow of foliage colors.

12. Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea and hybrids)

• Zones: 4–9
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Biennial, but self-seeds readily to create a continuous show year after year.

Tall spikes of bell-shaped blooms bring vertical drama and attract pollinators.

13. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

• Zones: 4–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Why It Spreads Fast: Low-growing mat-former that roots as it spreads; tolerates foot traffic.

Fragrant foliage and tiny pink-purple flowers that bees adore—perfect between stepping stones.

14. Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)

• Zones: 3–9
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Why It Spreads Fast: Often a biennial or short-lived perennial that reseeds prolifically for year-after-year blooms.

Clusters of sweetly scented blooms in shades of red, pink, and white that are pollinator favorites.

15. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea and hybrids)

• Zones: 3–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Why It Spreads Fast: Slowly expands by clumping and self-seeds freely in ideal conditions.

Coneflowers are pollinator magnets and produce gorgeous blooms from summer to fall.

Tips to Keep Fast Spreaders in Check

Fast-spreading perennials are incredibly useful—but they do need some control to prevent them from taking over:

• Divide regularly to keep plants healthy and manageable.
• Use edging or barriers to contain rhizomatous types.
• Deadhead to reduce reseeding if you want to avoid too many volunteers.

Fast-spreading perennials are the garden’s natural shortcut to beauty. Whether you’re starting with a blank slate or simply want to bulk up existing beds, these plants will reward you with lush foliage, vibrant blooms, and minimal maintenance year after year.

Do you have a favorite perennial that spreads like wildfire in your garden?

15 Fast Spreading Perennials

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I wish you Happy Gardening!

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