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
Sunday - March 30, 2014
From: Phenix City, AL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Erosion Control, Groundcovers, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Erosion controlling Groundcover for Phenix AL
Answered by: Larry Larson
QUESTION:
Hi I am trying to find a grass or ground cover to control erosion on firing range berms which are 1:1 grade on a firing range outside of Phenix City AL. Sandy clay soil, direct sunlight almost all day. Hopefully cheap to initially plant, easy or no maintenance, and self seeding. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.ANSWER:
Mr Smarty Plants thinks you are certainly working in the right direction to look for native plants to stabilize your berms. They certainly fit your requirements of easy or no maintenance and self seeding.
The general approach we use to limit erosion is to recommend clumping grasses or shrubs that have extended root systems. It is these that hold the soil and stabilize it against the flow of water. I’ve collected a set of previous question/answer pairs from Mr Smarty Plants that address erosion and groundcover recommendations from cities in Alabama and Georgia. In addition to the recommendations, pay attention to the methods using the Wildflower Center resources to find candidate plants and approaches.
Ground cover for sun in Phenix City, AL
Plants to stop erosion in Alabama
Flowering Deer Resistant Ground Cover for Dry Rocky Soil: Alabama
Plants for slope in central Alabama
Native plants for erosion control in Cataula GA
Deer Resistant, Fast Growing Groundcover Suggestions for Georgia
Hillside Erosion Control for Gainesville GA
Here are 5 grasses from those recommended above that are relatively low and tend to clump, which means they will function well controlling erosion.
Aristida stricta (Pineland threeawn)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Gulf muhly)
Schizachyrium scoparium (Little bluestem)
Andropogon virginicus (Broomsedge bluestem)
Two more groundcovers [Calyptocarpus vialis (Straggler daisy) and Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit) ] from the above discussions are quite low and give great cover and virtually zero maintenance. They are a bit less functional at erosion control, but are an excellent zero maintenance lawnlike cover.
From the Image Gallery
More Groundcovers Questions
Groundcover for under live oak in Mississippi
August 26, 2013 - I need a non-invasive ground cover to plant under my live oak.
view the full question and answer
New gardener on lawn for Poolville TX
April 28, 2012 - I have never had the opportunity to have a nice yard until recently when I got married. My husband loves a nice yard and we have worked very hard and put in hours of work. We are learning by trial a...
view the full question and answer
Groundcover for Austin yard
March 08, 2012 - My main goal is to cover my yard with a "grass" or groundcover that can handle the Texas heat, predicted long drought and some dog paw traffic (without going dormant/brown in the winter). I don't n...
view the full question and answer
Native Groundcovers for Spartanburg, SC
November 23, 2013 - I need suggestions for native groundcovers for Spartanburg, SC. The area to be covered is a fairly steep slope, with a lot of afternoon sun. In the morning, some areas remain shaded until noon whil...
view the full question and answer
Phyla nodiflora as a ground cover
March 23, 2007 - I'm considering using frogfruit in my lawn and between stepping stones. However, I'm concerned about it being invasive. The tree is in the front lawn and don't want it to take over the Bermuda law...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |