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
1 rating

Thursday - August 21, 2008

From: Fairfield, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Native grasses for field in Fairfield, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We are clearing youpon, briars and small trees from 13 acres of woods near Fairfield, Texas. We want to plant native grass(s) that can tolerate shade and part shade, but also tolerate mowing(shredder) once or maybe twice a year to control the youpon. The majority of the trees are post oak, cedar and pine and have deposited a significant layer of dead leaves on the ground. What grasses do you recommend?

ANSWER:

We're not sure that grasses are going to be your solution right now. Although not familiar with the shredder, we have seen commercials for them, and think this might be too much mowing for a grass. The native grasses can be mowed, certainly, once or twice a year, with the mower set up high, but that may not be the same thing. The second problem is your description of the layer of leaves on the ground. This is going to make seeding the grasses impractical, and that's a lot of territory for sodding or putting in plugs. Of course, you probably already have some native grasses growing there; hopefully, without any non-native invasives that have escaped from cultivation.

We have three How-To articles that we would like for you to look at, to help give you some ideas of what will or will not be feasible on your property. The first is Native Lawns, then Meadow Gardening, and finally, Recreating a Prairie.  We are going to give you a list of native grasses that are suitable for Central Texas, but you are probably a year or so away from actually planting them. The webpage for each grass will indicate what kind of sun exposure it will tolerate, soils, moisture, etc. When you are ready to start planting, go to our Native Plant Suppliers section, enter your town and state in the Search Location box and you will get a list of native plant suppliers, seed companies and landscape consultants in your general area. They will be able to advise you on the appropriate grasses, when to plant, etc.

Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)

Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama)

Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)

Koeleria macrantha (prairie Junegrass)

Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

 

 

More Grasses or Grass-like Questions

Native prairie grasses for East Texas
September 19, 2013 - What are the best grasses for native east texas prairie grass reestablishment, I have a small acreage I would like to turn into native grass land.
view the full question and answer

Replacement for grass under non-native weeping willow from Yorba Linda CA
April 24, 2012 - What would be a good replacement for the grass currently growing under a weeping willow? Something requiring low maintenance, the problem is with mowing over and around the roots.
view the full question and answer

Low Maintenance Grasses for Montgomery County, Texas
January 24, 2011 - I have to replace a dead lawn. Can you recommend a low maintenance, low water need grass seed for Spring, in Montgomery County, Texas
view the full question and answer

Plants that will grow in clay in North Carolina
March 14, 2008 - I have a small fenced back yard, predominately hard red clay, that is a major focal point. I am designing my own garden/yard area (to cut cost) and have a list of plants that will grow in this soil w...
view the full question and answer

Reconsideration of previous question from Hays County TX
February 21, 2014 - QUESTION: Please reconsider this question that I sent to you last week. Our home address is in Bastrop County, but the Blanco River property that we own is in Hays County near Wimberley. Our proper...
view the full question and answer

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