25 Plants That Grow on Rocks 

There are many plants that can be grown in a rock garden. Check out 25 of the most popular and unusual plants on this list to find your perfect plant for your next rockery.

If you are looking for plants that grow on rocks, without soil, this article has 25 plants that can help. Read more in detail here: plants that grow on rocks without soil.

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A combination of stones, rocks, and boulders may lend structure and texture to a yard, making rock gardens a treat for the green-fingered. Putting a few rocks in the garden won’t enough; instead, you’ll need to organize your plants and flowers carefully to get the most out of your rock garden. 

We have 25 plants you’ll want to consider for your future hideaway, whether it’s in the shade, a river rock bed, or simply a simple feature being added to the garden. 

25 Species of Rock-Growing Plants

Angelina Stonecrop is number one (Sedum rupestre)

The degree of contrast on display in any rock garden is one of its greatest qualities. Angelina stonecrop is a wonderful plant for covering particular portions of your rock garden with lovely yellowish leaves. The Sedum rupestre fills in crevices between stones by spreading out and bunching up. 

Varieties that are similar:

• Autumn Gratitude (Sedum herbstfreud)
• Mr. Nicebud 

3. Creeping Elfin Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) 

It might be tough to give your rock garden a gentler feel, but Creeping Thyme can brighten up any rock formation. This aromatic thyme likes to hang itself over rocks and form between them, giving your yard a brilliant purple tint. 

Varieties that are similar:

3. Pinwheel in Green (Aeonium decorum)

Green pinwheel plant is a striking and sturdy succulent that creates spectacular clusters of blooms with red highlights throughout the summer, making it an eye-catching feature of your rock garden. These perennials are low-maintenance, hardy, and drought-tolerant, making them ideal for hotter areas. 

Varieties that are similar:

• Aeonium with a sunburst
• Aeonium from the Canary Islands
• Carmen sempervivum sempervivum sempervivum semper

Grass of the Flamingo Maiden (Miscanthus sinensis)

With its verticality and overhang, maiden grass provides a lovely decorative plant for a rock garden, highlighting walks and borders. The maiden grass ‘Flamingo’ variety is a good fit for any rock garden and may offer a lot of texture to your yard. 

Maiden grass types that are similar include:

• Gracillimus
• Silberspinne (little silberspinne)
• The brightness of the morning 

5. Birch-Hybrid Bellflower (Birch-Hybrid Bellflower) (Campanula)

Bellflowers provide a lovely blue tint to any rock garden, and they contrast well with other colorful plants, grasses, and succulents. With its clusters of green and purple leaf, the birch-hybrid campanula is a good plant for filling in gaps between stones and covering the ground. 

Other campanula variants include:

• Bellflower of Carpanthian
• Bellflower of the Adriatic
• Bellflowers in clusters

6. Ear of the Lamb (Stachys Byzantia)

Stone gardens and granite paths look great with muted greens and soft pastel hues, and the fuzzy leaves (thus the name) provide a gentle touch. Lamb’s ear may be used to smooth off sharp edges and prickly regions. 

Other stachys species include:

7. Pumilio Pine Dwarf Mountain (Pinus Mugo)

In a rock garden, substantial selections are frequently necessary to provide a pleasing look, with decorative plants needed to fill in gaps. Dwarf mountain pine is an excellent example of this, with its little mounds lending texture to rock spots. Dwarf mountain pines flourish on river rock flower beds, so they’re ideal for sunny gardens. 

Pinus mungo cultivars that are similar include:

• Carstens
• Knom pine is a kind of pine that grows in the
• Pine mops

8. Dianthus of the Coral Reef 

Dianthus plants are an excellent perennial for even the most stony of gardens. The Coral Reef version of this plant adds a splash of color to your personal garden and is both aesthetically appealing and eye-catching. 

Dianthus variants that are similar:

• Dianthus cotton candy
• Monarch with lacing

Touran Pink (nine) (Saxifraga)

Saxifraga may be an excellent addition to your landscape, providing subtle color while also matting out vast areas. This pink-hued Saxifraga is ideal for the front of a garden patch or as a border plant. 

Saxifraga cultivars that are similar include:

• Shades of Highlander red
• Saxifraga purpurea is a purple mountain saxifraga.

10. Cress of the Rocks (Aubrieta Deltoidea)

For Alpine-style gardens, matte formations are always a good choice. Any garden will explode with its purple bunches on display if rock cress is used to cover huge expanses and droop on rocks. 

Aubrieta-like variants include:

• Gold-filled basket (Aurina saxatilis)

Spring Gentian, No. 11 (Gentiana Verna)

Spring gentia is an important flower for rock gardens because it fills large areas and has exquisite, blue foliage that stands out among other blooms. 

Gentiana cultivars that are similar include:

• Gentian with no stems
• Gentiana Strathmore
• Gentian willow

12. Pasque de Crimea (Pulsatilla Halleri)

The crimean pasque, like the Lamb’s ear before it, provides a subdued and delicate softness to rocks and stones. Primarily utilized for a rock formation’s front border or other perennials. 

Pulsatilla variants that are similar include:

• Flower of the red pasque
• Alba
• Glocke, glocke, glocke, glocke,

Elijah Blue Fescue (#13) (Festuca Glauca)

Blue fescue plants are a decorative grass that will take up good sections of land in a rock garden, functioning as a support for a center piece or just as a highlight in and of themselves. In the summer, the Elijah blue variety produces plumes, which contrast with a touch of yellow amid the blue and green. 

Blue fescue cultivars that are similar include:

• Fescue Blaufuchs
• Oat grass, blue

Candytuft (#14) (Iberis Sempervirens)

With its profusion of white blossoms, evergreen candytuft is wonderful for giving extensive coverage in a rock garden, particularly when put in full sun. 

Candytuft-like variants include:

• Basket-of-gold
• Phlox creeping

15. Phlox creeping (Phlox Subulata)

Creeping plants are a necessity for keeping edges soft and adding personality to walls and overhangs. The light plumage of the Phlox creeping is enough to add slight embellishments and accents to plain surfaces. 

Phlox cultivars that are similar include:

• Phlox with candy stripes
• Phlox in the shape of a snowflake

Juniperus chinensis (Juniperus chinesis)

If you’re seeking for a hedge plant or a compact, green shrub, the Chinese Juniper is a great choice. The little coniferous shrub is ideal for adding color to the garden and will have a dark green tint all year. 

Juniper cultivars that are similar include:

• Juniper juniper juniper juniper juniper
• Juniper juniper juniper juniper juniper juni
• Juniper juniper juniper juniper juniper

Paprika Yarrow, No. 17 (Achillea Millefolium)

A rock garden with a crimson hue may always look fantastic, and the paprika yarrow can supply it in plenty. This little perennial is a must-have for all rock gardens, attracting butterflies and bees throughout the spring and summer. 

Achillea types that are similar include:

• Yarrow for moonshine
• Yarrow pomegranate

18. Ice Plant with a Fire Spinner (Delosperma)

Delosperma fire spinners are ideal for filling vast portions of a rock garden, and their broad covering and lovely blooms make them an appealing addition to river rock beds or stone walks. Ice plants are available in a wide range of hues, making them a flexible choice. 

Delosperma in other forms:

• The desert’s jewel
• Cooperia Delosperma Cooperia Delosperma Cooperia Delo
• Kelaidis 

 Jerusalem Star (19.) (Cerastium Tormentosum)

A full-sun shrub with tiny white blooms that look fantastic in a rock garden. Cerastium is a hardy plant that looks particularly nice near the path’s edge. 

Cerastium types that are similar include:

Carpet Bugle #20 (Ajuga Reptans)

With its dark contrasting blooms and foliage, the Ajuga reptan thrives in full or partial shade and offers great ground cover.

Other Ajuga reptans species include:

• Muffins with blueberries
• Bronze radiance
• a burgundy hue

Dwarf Iris (number 21) (Iris Reticulata) 

Early spring brings brilliant, vivid blossoms to this eye-catching and lovely shrub. The iris reticulata has a wide spectrum of species, ranging from white to purple to blue. 

Other Iris reticulata variations include:

 Ruby Frost Tickseed (number 22) (Coreopsis)

The ruby frost type of Coreopsis is very unusual in its plumage and color, making it a good choice for rock gardens. It stands out among other plants because of the mix of color from the interior to the outside, with various species giving varied color possibilities. 

• Other Coreopsis variants include:
• Tickseed in the Moonlight
• tickseed’s sweet dreams
• Tickseed increasing mercury

Silver Speedwell (number 23) (Veronica Spicata)

Silver speedwell is a great choice for edging and borders in a rock garden because it adds contrast. The white, fluffy leaves and purple blossoms stand out against the other plants in the area, pulling the eye in. 

Other Veronica spicata variants include:

• Speedwell, speedwell, speedwell, speedwell, speedwell, speedwell, speedwell, speedwell
• Speedwell spiked
• Aspire to be fast.

Siberian Bugloss (number 24) (Brunnera Macrophylla)

Finding full shade-loving plants that are also attractive is one of the most challenging aspects of creating a rock garden. The silver, green, and white combination of leaves of Siberian bugloss look great in the shadow and keep their brilliance throughout the growth season. 

Other Brunnera variants include:

• Bugloss with silver charm
• Diane’s bugloss is gold.
• Bugloss Jack frost

Crimson Star Columbine (number 25) (Aquilegia Hybrida)

This flower is good for river rock beds and rock gardens in general. The red and white bell blooms alone are enough to attract butterflies, insects, and the attention of passers-by. 

Other Aquilegia variants include:

• Columbine bluebird
• columbine port ruby
• Columbine barlow blue

Final Thoughts

Whatever method you choose, there’s no denying that a wide range of magnificent plants thrive in rock gardens and other related yard features. The idea is to use a variety of plants and arrange them in an aesthetically attractive way.

Plants can grow on rocks, but it’s not recommended. If you want to grow plants on rocks, there are some things you should know first. Reference: can plants grow on rocks.

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