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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - October 08, 2013
From: Durham, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Grass lawn from Durham NC
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Durham, NC. Want to plant a small front grass lawn, full sun, dry. Willing to mow. Not good about watering. Advice?ANSWER:
Tis the season to be lawning, tra la la la la la la la. As October takes over, suddenly everyone is interested in next year's front yard. Since we live and garden in burning Texas, you might be interested in our most recent answer to the search for a lawn grass in our very hot and dry land. It has more links in it, and the references to water (or lack of same) probably won't interest you but the discussion of lawns per se might, so follow all the links until you get tired of the whole thing.
Next, we need to remind you that the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, is committed to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which those plants are being grown; in your case, Durham County, NC in north central North Carolina. And we have to tell you there are not many native grasses that fulfill the requirements of a lawn grass, but we will see what we can find. We will go to our Native Plant Database, scroll down on the page to Combination Search, then select on North Carolina for state, "grass or grasslike plants" for Habit and sun" for Light Requirements, and add the proviso of Height of 1" to 12". With this search, we got 4 results: Carex texensis (Texas sedge) (which really is native to North Carolina, too, honest), Cenchrus spinifex (Coastal sandbur), Cyperus lupulinus (Great plains flatsedge) (we don't even have a picture of this one in our Image Gallery) and Digitaria cognata (Carolina crabgrass). We are pretty sure you don't want crabgrass or sanburs in your lawn, so that leaves the Texas Sedge. You can follow the plant link above to our webpage on this sedge, and note the statement: "It can be mowed at a high setting." Note that it also tolerates some shade, which would be good for most of the people we hear from because they are looking for grass that will grow under trees. It does, however, also grow in sun and can take moist or dry conditions, which would fit your specifications.
From the Image Gallery
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Alternative for HABITURF® in Los Angeles County, CA
December 04, 2014 - The Habiturf brochure has a map indicating appropriate locales for growing this lawn. Excluded from the appropriate range is Southern California, where I live. Is Habiturf not recommended for this reg...
view the full question and answer
Native turf grass for acreage in Denison TX
January 27, 2014 - I have recently moved to Denison TX where we have 5+ acres of true crosstimbers land. I am looking for a native turf grass that will do well in sandy soil and with the water provided by nature. The m...
view the full question and answer
Ground cover for shady area in north Texas
July 29, 2013 - I'm looking for a ground cover for a mostly shady area where St. Augustine won't grow. I don't want the ground cover to overtake my established St. Augustine in the rest of the yard. The area is un...
view the full question and answer
Native grasses for golf courses from Austin
October 06, 2013 - I may be working on two different golf courses and wanted to know if any native or hybrid native grasses would work for the fairways and rough areas?
The rough areas are no problem as a number of ...
view the full question and answer
Salt tolerant plants for shade on tidal inlet in NY
August 11, 2013 - Are there any salt water tolerant grasses or forbs with deep roots that grow in shade? I live on a tidal inlet/canal on Long Island NY. The southern bank has cedars and oaks but the soil is eroding ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |