Explore Plants

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
    
 

Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Wednesday - September 26, 2012

From: Round Rock, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant, Erosion Control, Groundcovers
Title: Deer-resistant groundcovers for erosion control
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I need a ground cover (vine??) that will help me with erosion on a sloped front yard. It gets about 6-8 hours of sun and my main need is for something that the rats in our neighborhood will not destroy. By rats in mean the hundreds of deer.. Thanks

ANSWER:

Here are some recommendations for a deer resistant groundcover that will help prevent erosion in Round Rock TX:

GRASSES AND SEDGES:

Bouteloua dactyloides (Buffalograss).  I recommend that you read our "How to Articles"—Native Lawns:  Buffalograss and Native Lawns: Habiturf™ – The Ecological Lawn.

Bouteloua rigidiseta (Texas grama)

Carex blanda (Eastern woodland sedge)

Carex texensis (Texas sedge)

VINES:

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

Ipomoea cordatotriloba var. cordatotriloba (Tievine)

PERENNIAL HERBS:

Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit)

Glandularia bipinnatifida (Purple prairie verbena)

Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot daisy)

Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose)

Salvia lyrata (Lyreleaf sage)

 

From the Image Gallery


Eastern woodland sedge
Carex blanda

Texas sedge
Carex texensis

Texas frogfruit
Phyla nodiflora

Purple prairie verbena
Glandularia bipinnatifida

Blackfoot daisy
Melampodium leucanthum

Pink evening primrose
Oenothera speciosa

Lyreleaf sage
Salvia lyrata

More Groundcovers Questions

Removing St. Augustine for natives in Grapevine TX
September 29, 2012 - We have St Augustine in our yard and we hate it. It guzzles water, we have to cut it often, and it's thick and hard to work with. Anyway, we want to replace it with a combination of some kind of g...
view the full question and answer

Identification of groundcover plant in north Georgia mountains
September 16, 2011 - Was trail riding in N GA mountains - saw pretty ground cover plant ? vine - small green leaves with whitish borders almost look like clover leaves and has small bright red red berries - this was Aug 2...
view the full question and answer

Marbleseed (Onosmodium sp.) propagation and use as groundcover for
October 08, 2007 - I am interested in any information, esp. propagation & suitability as a landscape plant, (possible ground cover?) for marble seed. I have found it growing in deep shade on stream banks. It has a 4--...
view the full question and answer

Ground cover to withstand dog traffic in Michigan
November 02, 2010 - I need a soft ground cover that will grow in sand, and be able to take four big dogs that love to run in the yard. Grass just doesn't make it. Someone suggested that groundcover might work. Thanks...
view the full question and answer

Is dichondra repens native from Hillsboro, TX
November 28, 2012 - What about diachondra repens? Is it native? Thank you,
view the full question and answer

Smarty Plants's Facebook profile Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.

Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends.