Native Plants
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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.
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Friday - January 03, 2014
From: Saint Louis County, MO
Region: Midwest
Topic: Deer Resistant, Erosion Control, Grasses or Grass-like, Shrubs
Title: Deer Resistance and Erosion Control for St. Louis County MO
Answered by: Larry Larson
QUESTION:
I am looking for deer and rabbit resistant native plants for erosion control on a steep ravine slope with part sun and part shade in St. Louis County MO.ANSWER:
Here is a selection of previous Mr Smarty Plant’s responses to questions that involve both erosion control and deer resistance. Only the first reference is from Missouri, but all give some appropriate direction.
Arnold MO: Low-maintenance grass for retention pond
Limiting erosion around pond from Brooklyn Park MN
Deer-resistant groundcovers for erosion control
Flowering Deer Resistant Ground Cover for Dry Rocky Soil: Alabama
Mr Smarty Plant’s recipe for erosion control is to choose plants that clump and/or have extensive root systems. These larger root systems tend to hold the soil in place to a larger extent than the size of the plant would suggest.
There is a special collection of recommended species for Deer resistance. Rabbit resistance isn’t mentioned in the plant records, but one can hope that deer resistant species are similar. This link leads to the collection of deer resistant species.
Like the other special lists, this can be searched for state, aspect, height and several other important characteristics. Thinking about both of these sets of characteristics, my review of this list suggests the following as suitable plants:
Grasses: Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama), Carex blanda (Eastern woodland sedge), Carex texensis (Texas sedge)
Shrubs: Ceanothus americanus (New jersey tea), Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby st. johnswort). Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (Coralberry)
If you want a little flowering color, there are 43 native wildflowers that also are shown by searching for “Herbs” in this same collection.
From the Image Gallery
More Deer Resistant Questions
Deer resistant evergreen shrubs for Saratoga Springs, NY
April 20, 2009 - Deer resistant, evergreen shrubs for Saratoga Springs, NY.
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Lily plants being chewed from Austin
June 20, 2013 - Something is chewing my lily plants to the ground. Any ideas what and do I stop them?
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Deer eating Non-native Asiatic Jasmine in Georgetown, TX
October 22, 2015 - Is there a spray or granular material that will prevent deer from eating asiatic jasmine?
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Deer and rabbit resistant plants for Virginia
April 22, 2009 - I am trying to find deer and rabbit resistant plants/ornamental grasses and flowers to create a year round garden (garden with interest all year) in two large and one small flowerbed in the front of o...
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Climbing vines that are deer resistant
July 12, 2013 - Please find plants that are climbing vines and are deer resistant
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