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Tuesday - September 23, 2008
From: Vista, CA
Region: California
Topic: Erosion Control
Title: Groundcover for erosion control
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I live in southern california. What is the best groundcover to plant on a slope to prevent erosion?ANSWER:
Grasses, with their dense fibrous root systems, are one of the best plants to use for erosion control. Here are a few suggested grasses for southern California:Achnatherum hymenoides (Indian ricegrass)
Festuca californica (California fescue)
Koeleria macrantha (prairie Junegrass)
Melica imperfecta (smallflower melicgrass)
Sporobolus airoides (alkali sacaton) and more information
Here are some low-growing shrubs that could be used as groundcovers. These could be used along with the grasses or instead of the grasses. Their height is generally 1 to 3 ft.
Symphoricarpos mollis (creeping snowberry) with more information. This is low-growing shrub that is generally less than 2 feet tall.
Encelia farinosa (brittlebush) with more photos and information
Eriogonum fasciculatum (Eastern Mojave buckwheat) with more information
Mahonia repens (creeping barberry) with more information
More Erosion Control Questions
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April 29, 2009 - I live in Cincinnati, OH. BP owns a pipeline which runs thru part of my property. They clear out all the large trees every few years, so that it is visible from the air. Our area is surrounded by M...
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Low growing erosion control plants for lakeside in Washington Township NJ
May 12, 2013 - I live on a small lake in Northern NJ and have installed beautiful Boulders along the water to help stop erosion. Now I want to add plants along the property but would like low growing, soil retentio...
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Erosion Control in a Mid-Atlantic Shoreline
April 09, 2012 - My family owns a riverfront property off of Machodoc Creek which runs into the Potomac on the Virginia side. The water is roughly 3 feet deep at the shoreline and concrete cylinders are used to contro...
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Plants for erosion control on steep bank in Minnesota
October 21, 2008 - I live in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. I have a steep slope in back yard which gets considerable rain runoff from the homes above me. What plants/shrubs/trees could I plant on the slope to stop the...
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