Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

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
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Sunday - October 04, 2015

From: Trophy Club, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Restoring riverfront from Blanco Flood
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

We have cleared our riverfront from the Blanco Flood and I am now looking for help in replanting native trees/grass on our property. Our home was in the Flood of Hayes county Memorial Weekend. I am looking for advise/help in trying to restore the riverfront. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER:

On our Special Collections page we have a special list of plants, Central Texas Riparian Restoration Species, recommending species that are appropriate for the restoration of your riverfront.

Grasses are very important components of the restoration.  Here are several from the list that are excellent choices:

Andropogon glomeratus (Bushy bluestem) grows in full sun. 

Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats) grows well in shade and partly shaded areas. 

Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) grows in sun and part shade.

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) grows in sun, part shade and shade.

Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern gamagrass) grows in part shade.

 

Here are suggestions for trees from the list:

Cephalanthus occidentalis (Common buttonbush) is more a shrub than a tree and grows 6 to 12 feet.

 Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore)

Populus deltoides (Eastern cottonwood) is fast growing.

Salix nigra (Black willow) is fast growing.

Taxodium distichum (Bald cypress)

Texas State University has a webpage with the title Disaster Recovery Resources addressing the Memorial Weekend flood.  Though they were done early in June some of the videos have information that is still useful.  You can find the workshops by searching on YouTube for "Blanco Riparian Workshops".  Here is the link to the workshop with the title "What to Plant after the Flood" by Bill Niemann of Native American Seed.

The Wildflower 2015 Fall Native Plant Sale occurs Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11 with Wildflower "Members Only" day on Friday, Oct. 9.  Most (if not all) of the plants listed above appear on the Plant Sale Plant List.

 

From the Image Gallery


Bushy bluestem
Andropogon glomeratus

Inland sea oats
Chasmanthium latifolium

Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum

Indiangrass
Sorghastrum nutans

Eastern gamagrass
Tripsacum dactyloides

Common buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis

American sycamore
Platanus occidentalis

Eastern cottonwood
Populus deltoides

Black willow
Salix nigra

Bald cypress
Taxodium distichum

More Grasses or Grass-like Questions

Groundcover for Slope in NC under Black Walnut
April 20, 2015 - Please advise on some plants for a difficult to mow 30% slope, near Asheville, NC. We have partial sun, plenty of good rich topsoil, and plenty of rain. The key issue is that it is under and near the ...
view the full question and answer

Turf grasses and alternatives for NH
October 23, 2010 - I live in Hancock, NH, just north of Peterborough. We just bought a relatively new house that pretty-much has no lawn and minimal landscaping. Can you (or anyone) suggest native lawn grass alternati...
view the full question and answer

Bioswale in Orange CA
September 08, 2009 - Mr. Smarty Plants, I'm looking for plants for a bio-swale in Southern California. Do you have any suggestions for plants that do well in water but can also can handle long dry summers?
view the full question and answer

Plants to prevent erosion in IL
August 02, 2012 - We just got done building a house and have leveled all of the dirt piles. We do have a row of straw bales to help prevent the dirt from washing onto the neighbors property. It is the wrong time of ye...
view the full question and answer

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 any suggestions for seed I could throw over the side of the bank that would grow...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.