Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Monday - March 26, 2012

From: Birmingham, AL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Erosion Control, Groundcovers, Grasses or Grass-like, Wildflowers
Title: Flowering Deer Resistant Ground Cover for Dry Rocky Soil: Alabama
Answered by: Janice Kvale

QUESTION:

My question has been partially answered in the FAQ but I live in Birmingham where the soil is clay and rocky so it's a little different. I want to plant on a rocky slope (small rocks like the size of golf balls or less) There's actually not much erosion but I'm not sure why. Maybe because of all the rocks and clay. It can be dry here in the summer but right now we get rain once a week. Here's what I want: Wild flowers, spreading or like a ground cover, flowering at different times of year, drought tolerant, some green all year, deer resistant, plant or seed now, 5 hrs sun It's a lot to ask for but I'm hopeful.

ANSWER:

Dear Hopeful,

I focused on your request for short flowering specimens, including some listed as deer resistant. Deer resistant plants for Alabama are listed here on our website. All of the selected native plants listed below are generally happy with dry, rocky or clay soil and part shade sun exposure (2-6 hours daily). The bloom times listed are dependent on weather and location. It is possible the plant will bloom at any time during the months listed but not always continuously.

This link will give you a start on finding sets and/or seeds for the plants you select. Take a walk around your area also and see what is growing wild. Those are the plants that will grow the best for you. (I know some people think these native plants are weeds, but only if they are growing where they are not wanted.) In some locations, it may be legal and permissible to move wild specimens. For example, (Calyptocarpus vialis (Straggler daisy) seems to grow prolifically, rather like kudzu except unlike kudzu, it is a native plant.

In addition, you may wish to check the following resources for lists of native plants in Alabama: This first reference lists Alabama plants by season, color and name. Another resource is the Southern Environmental Center in Birmingham. Finally, the superb Birmingham Botanical Gardens offers a class leading to a certificate in native plant gardening, just what you might want.

Finally I get to the list of possible low-growing native plants for your location:

Symphyotrichum pratense (Barrens silky aster) purple bloom, Sep - Nov., 0-1 ft.

Calyptocarpus vialis (Straggler daisy) tiny yellow flower, Mar - Nov., 6-12 in. Semi-evergreen (may be dormant in winter,) easily spreads.

Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit) white flower, May - Oct., 3-6 in., semi-evergreen.

Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (Prairie verbena) showy purple or pink flower, Mar - Dec., 6-12 in., deer resistant.

Hedeoma drummondii (Drummond's false pennyroyal) white or purple flower, May - Sep., 0-1 ft., deer resistant, aromatic.

Phlox drummondii (Annual phlox) showy white, red, pink, purple flowers, Mar - Jun., 6-12 in., semi-evergreen.

Portulaca pilosa (Chisme) red, pink, purple blossoms, Jun - Oct., 0-1 ft., annual.

Ruellia humilis (Fringeleaf wild petunia) purple flower, May - Sep., usually under 1 ft., sprawling.

Pityopsis graminifolia (Narrowleaf silkgrass) yellow daisy-like flower, Aug - Nov., 1 ft., semi-evergreen, thrives in poor soil.

Carex texensis (Texas sedge) a grass-like sedge, 10-12 in., grows well near trees and will help hold soil on a slope. Mixes well with flowering natives.

I enjoyed doing this search for you and wish you a verdant future.

 

From the Image Gallery


Barrens silky aster
Symphyotrichum pratense

Horseherb
Calyptocarpus vialis

Texas frogfruit
Phyla nodiflora

Prairie verbena
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida

Drummond's false pennyroyal
Hedeoma drummondii

Annual phlox
Phlox drummondii

Kiss me quick
Portulaca pilosa

Prairie petunia
Ruellia humilis

Narrowleaf silkgrass
Pityopsis graminifolia

Texas sedge
Carex texensis

More Seed and Plant Sources Questions

Looking for nursery selling Wrights skullcap (Scutellaria wrightii)
May 02, 2007 - I'm located in Plano, and am trying to find seeds or seedlings for a plant species I saw at the LBJ Wildflower Center in Austin. I'm looking for a blue-flowering ground cover plant that is called W...
view the full question and answer

Native Indian Rice Grass cultivation as food source
September 30, 2006 - Hi! I'm a student at UT and I ran across a grass while doing some reseach, native to Utah and Arizona, called Indian Ricegrass. It was used as a famine plant among native communities, however, it w...
view the full question and answer

Edible Plant Resources for Minnesota
February 25, 2010 - Can you suggest some references or resources that could tell me what native species would do well in a Twin Cities region edible forest? Pretty much all deciduous with buckthorn in the understory tha...
view the full question and answer

Grasses for horses in Austin
October 27, 2012 - Hello Mr. Smarty Plants We just bought 4.5 acres in Travis County off HWY 290. We have 3 horses we keep on it but there is very little grass in the pastures. What is the best type of grass to seed ...
view the full question and answer

Sources for native plants from Austin TX
December 19, 2012 - Hello. I am currently planning a Texas native plant garden. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find the seeds/bulbs/roots/plants for some of the natives at local nurseries: Indian Ricegrass (Achnatherum ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.