Low growing

Low growing [ Botany - Horticulture ]	Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names
Synonyms: Dwarf, Prostrate

Of plants that grow relatively low to the ground

The term “low-growing” is commonly used to indicate groundcover plants and in general designate any plant which is relatively low, or prostrate.
for example - relatively to a forest - the “low-growing” plant correspond to the understorey vegetation, including wildflowers, lichens, ferns etc.

“Low-growing” plant are also frequent in extreme and hostile habitat like tundra and deserts where vegetation has a limited growth, in fact many “low-growing” and compact plant are less vulnerable to wind, snow, drought, respect to plant of bigger dimension.

Several Garden plants (e.g. roses) have both big or climbing and "low-growing" (dwarf) cultivars.

Low growing species and cultivars are ideal where maintenance and mowing is infrequent.

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Holdfast roots [ Botany ]
Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.

Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994