Best plants for a green roof – 9 popular options for a living roof

Working out the best plants for your green roof will primarily depend on the type of green roof you have. A green roof can be an intensive (or thick) type; extensive (or thin); or semi-extensive/hybrid, which is a combination of the two. 

An extensive roof needs to be able to function independently as you will not be able to access it once it is established, so plants such as sedums are popular. For an intensive roof, access is essential as you will need to occasionally tend to your green oasis. On an intensive roof, your options are much broader and you are able to grow everything from sedums to trees. 

To help you make the right choice, we’ve rounded up the top plants for every type of green roof. 

Create A Verdant Outlook With The Best Plants For A Green Roof

‘Specialist companies that supply sedum roofing materials have researched the best planting schemes for just this application,’ says Karl Harrison, founder of Karl Harrison Design(opens in new tab). ‘It’s important to have a mixture of plants in your scheme, and you also have to consider the thickness of the green roof you are creating. The best plants for a green roof with a very thin layer of soil are Cotula hispida, sedums, acaena, and sempervivums. Some well-drained and thin soil-loving plants like thyme work well, too.’

On a semi-extensive roof, think about planting ornamental grasses, muscari, or small species of allium.

If you’re going for an intensive green roof, a wide variety of plants is possible, including shrubs and even trees. Choosing drought-tolerant plants can be a sensible strategy though. 

For the full list, please visit – https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/best-plants-for-a-green-roof