Native Plants

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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 Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Grasses to stabilize creek bed in Bastrop County, Texas
May 06, 2011 - Hello, we have property in Bastrop county, the soil is sandy loam with clay underneath. We need to stabilize a creek bed, can you suggest any particular grasses (seed) for this? Know it's not the be...
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Plants to grow in shady area near a pecan tree in Maryland
March 26, 2013 - I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I have planted only natives in my front lawn. My backyard, which sports a pecan tree, fir, fig tree, and others I can't identify is dirt, just dirt. I have...
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Alkalinity-tolerant grasses
July 24, 2005 - Dear Sirs - Are you aware of any grass species that could survive in strongly alkaline soils (ph from 10 up to 12) Thanks a lot.
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Pathway material for Kerrville, TX
May 30, 2009 - I have removed the St Augustine, expanded a perennial bed of mostly natives and created a pathway along the new bed. Can you recommend a plant to use as a pathway? It should require low water, be hea...
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Plants for steep embankment on the Missouri River in Nebraska
July 01, 2009 - Hi, My embankment along the Northeast Nebraska shoreline
of the Missouri River is eroding the land away. Do you have
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