Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Friday - May 14, 2010
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Turf
Title: Native grass for shaded lawn in Austin
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hello, I've read all your info on the native lawns and came by the center on Sunday. We live in Circle C and want to plant a lawn in our backyard. We don't want something that needs a lot of water. There is some St Augustine back there that is dead. The lawn is somewhat shaded. What would you recommend? Emerald Zoysia seems like an option for shaded areas but I wanted your opinion and also, who do you recommend for doing the work? Thank you.ANSWER:
Emerald zoysia is a hybrid between Zoysia japonica and Zoysia tenuifolia both of which are Asian/Australasian species. Since our mission here at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is "...to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes," we wouldn't recommend a non-native grass. I hope that you have read our reports on our research in turfgrass for native lawns and our instructions for establishing them in our article, Native Lawns: Multi-Species. The good news is that these grasses do very well with very little water, once established, and little mowing. The bad news, as far as you are concerned, is that they do well in full sun (more than 6 hours of sun per day) and don't fare so well in less sun per day. You might consider using the multi-species mix—Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss), Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama) and Hilaria belangeri (curly-mesquite)—in the sunny part of your yard and, in the shadier parts, using attractive, shade-tolerant native grasses that are not short turf grasses. Here are some possibilities:
Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama) - State Grass of Texas, medium water use, sun or part shade
Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats) - 2 to 4 ft., medium water use, part shade or shade
Bouteloua hirsuta (hairy grama) - 10 to 18 in., low water use, part shade
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) - 18 to 24 in., low water use, sun or part shade
Poa arachnifera (Texas bluegrass) - 1 to 2 ft., medium water use, sun or part shade
Nolina texana (Texas sacahuista) - 1 to 3 ft., low water use, part shade (technically, not a grass, but very grass-like)
Sedges, which are very grass-like, are another possibility that grow well in the shade. Here are a few:
Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge) - 12 to 18 inches, medium water use, part shade
Carex planostachys (cedar sedge) - about 6 inches, low water use, part shade
Carex texensis (Texas sedge) - 10 to 12 inches, medium water use, sun or part shade
There are other low groundcovers that grow in part shade that you could use in the shadier areas of our lawn. Here are a few:
Calyptocarpus vialis (straggler daisy) - 6 to 12 in., low to medium water use, sun, part shade and shade
Dichondra carolinensis (Carolina ponysfoot) - 1 to 3 inches, low to medium water use, sun and part shade
Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit) - 3 to 6 in., low to medium water use, sun and part shade
Packera obovata (roundleaf ragwort) - 1 to 2 ft., low to medium water use, part shade and shade
You can visit our National Suppliers Directory to find 'Landscape Professionals' in the Austin area.
Here are photos for a few of the above plants from our Image Gallery:
More Turf Questions
Mixing of bluebonnets and buffalograss in a lawn
April 22, 2007 - I have moved into a house with a yard full of weeds. I would like to plant Buffalograss but understand Buffalograss is sparce and difficult to keep the weeds out. So, I was considering mixing it wit...
view the full question and answer
Native Grasses for Houston, TX
April 06, 2015 - What native grasses can I use for my lawn in Houston, TX? It appears that Habiturf is not recommended for our climate. Is there another variety of seed available yet that I can use to start a small ...
view the full question and answer
Need shade friendly native grass for lawn under pine trees in Carthage, TX.
September 07, 2010 - My home is situated on six acres of woods in the East Texas piney woods area. Other than a few beds I have tried to plant, the yard has not been landscaped. I am trying to cover dirt and weeds in a p...
view the full question and answer
Alternative for HABITURF® in Contra Costa County, CA
September 17, 2014 - We live in Kensington, just north of Berkeley, in the San Francisco area. We intend to get rid of our water consuming lawn and we are wondering what kind of alternative you would suggest. You don't s...
view the full question and answer
Evergreen plants for shaded lawn in Austin, Texas
December 31, 2009 - I want to replace three scrawny ligustrums on the shady north front of my house with native plants. I'd like evergreen plants that don't need much maintenance. I'm not looking for a hedge, but some...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |