5 Tough Plants that Tolerate Foot Traffic from Guests, Kids & Pets

If you have a typical yard, it probably takes some abuse.

Maybe you have a kid practicing for the Olympics soccer team, or your dog is obsessed with chasing squirrels.

Maybe there’s that one area where your neighbor always cuts through to borrow your hammer, or where the mail carrier takes a shortcut. (Note to self: get the neighbor a hammer for Christmas.)

Those aren’t places for prissy plants. What to plant when things might get walked on?

Eric Frisch, Ground Source landscape designer, shares a few of the toughest plants for foot traffic:

1. Blue Flax Lily

If you’re thinking, “Lilies don’t seem very tough,” know that this isn’t exactly a lily.

Flax lily is actually a fast-growing grass-like perennial. The blue variety has lush blue-green foliage and small violet flower clusters.

Often used as a groundcover or border plant, it’s mostly grown for its foliage. Its flowers aren’t very showy, but this sturdy plant for foot traffic is drought tolerant, does well in sun or shade and in hot, humid weather.

“Flax lily is pretty tough if the dogs or kids were to run through it,” Frisch says. “It can grow back pretty fast if damaged and it's a perennial that doesn't have woody branches that can snap.”

Frisch advises against woody shrubs in high foot traffic areas.

“They’d likely get broken, can be pokey and might harm kids or pets if they get stuck with a branch,” he says. And if damaged by foot traffic, he says, woody shrubs take a long time to recover.

2. African Iris

A tough, durable perennial that keeps coming back, African iris 
can tolerate full sun or part shade, standing water, or dry conditions.

It produces flowers year-round, making it one of the prettiest tropical plants for foot traffic. Its striking white petals have purplish blue and yellow markings.

Iris are fast-growing, Frisch says, so if they get a bit trampled they’ll come back quickly.

3.  Fountain Grass

A landscaping standout, fountain grass is named for its graceful spray of foliage, but it also sends out beautiful, fuzzy flower plumes in late summer.

Multiple species of fountain grasses in Orlando are suitable for our climate, including the show-stopper Pink Muhly Grass.

It’s a hardy, adaptable plant that thrives in a variety of conditions and once established, is among the toughest plants. If the soccer-playing kids run over it, no biggie.

4. Liriope

Also called lilyturf, this is an easy-care vigorous grower that spreads fast into a carpet of green and is happy in most any growing conditions.

One of the toughest plants for foot traffic, it also stands up to pets and other family activities.

5. Mondo Grass

Mondo grass isn’t actually grass, but its grass-like strappy foliage forms dense tufts that slowly spread over time.

It grows well in almost any soil and light conditions and offers small lavender or white flowers in summer.

You can walk on mondo grass occasionally, but it’s not the toughest plant for foot traffic, so don’t use it where there’s frequent trampling.

What Are the Toughest Sod Species?

What about lawns? What grass variety takes the most abuse?

Bermuda probably comes to mind, right? This hardy grass is known for tolerating difficult conditions, from heat to drought to foot traffic. And it recovers from damage quicker than other types of grass.

Not so fast, though.

“We don't use Bermuda in residential lawns because of how invasive it is,” Frisch says. “It can spread into your neighbor's St. Augustine or Zoysia lawns and make for a pretty angry neighbor.”

While St. Augustine is a Florida favorite for lawns, it’s not the toughest sod species for heavy foot traffic, Frisch says.

Try Zoysia, he suggests. It has a vigorous root system that helps it stand up to wear and tear like kids playing in the yard.

Save sturdy Bermuda for athletic fields and golf courses, he says.

When There’s Too Much Trampling for Plants

Think twice before planting anything where there’s a lot of foot traffic, Frisch says. Plants are pretty — why trample them?

“With heavy foot traffic, it might be better to consider artificial turf as a play area and maybe pavers if it's a walkway being used regularly,” Frisch says.

Stepping stones are another good option, he says, to help give plants in high-traffic areas a break.

Need Plants for Foot Traffic? Trust Ground Source

Or maybe you need help with a sturdier alternative. A dog run? A walkway? An area of artificial turf?

Make sure you partner with landscape design and installation services in Central Florida who know what will work perfectly for your property.

We’re landscape experts, but our skills don’t stop there. We’re with you every step of the way as you plan your perfect outdoor space.

Sod, irrigation, landscape design: let us transform your yard from an embarrassing eyesore to a place you spend every spare minute.

Are you ready to enjoy the vibrant, impressive yard you've always wanted? Request a quote today! We’ll help you review your options and then transform your property.

Image Sources | African Iris, Blue Flax Lily, Pink Muhly Grass, Liriope, Mondo Grass