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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Saturday - January 24, 2009
From: Dublin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Ground cover for North Central Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I live in north central Texas. My backyard has very fine, powdery sand soil. The previous owners of the property let the grass die out and now every time it gets windy, the sand gets into our patio and in our window panes. What is the best ground cover for this area. The area is about 3,000 sq ft. I also have two medium outdoor dogs. I'm open to anything that will keep the dust down. Thanks DarinANSWER:
If most of your lawn is in the sun, then your best bet is Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss). It is a low-growing turf grass that requires infrequent mowing and very little water after it is established. Once it is established, its fibrous root system will anchor the soil and prevent sand blowing into your area. It does well in the sun, but not so well in shade. Please read our HOW TO ARTICLE, Native Lawns: Buffalograss, for more information on establishing a buffalograss lawn. You can combine the buffalograss with another low-growing grass, Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama). Native American Seeds in Junction offers a mixture of the two, Native Sun Turfgrass, for sale. They also have a useful article, Planting Tips for Native Grasses, on their website.Sedges (Carex spp.) also make good groundcovers. They are generally low-growing and some are evergreen. For information about using sedges as a groundcover lawn, please read Sedge Lawns for Every Landscape by John Greenlee. Here are a few recommended sedges:
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge)
Carex planostachys (cedar sedge)
Here are some other low-growing plants that could also be used in your area as groundcover along with, or instead of, the grasses and sedges:
Artemisia ludoviciana (white sagebrush)
Asplenium platyneuron (ebony spleenwort) for shady areas
Calyptocarpus vialis (straggler daisy)
Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit)
More Groundcovers Questions
Destruction of Straggler Daisy in Austin
December 18, 2011 - I hate Straggler Daisy. Not to be offensive, but it appears from other posts on this site that you, Mr. Smarty Plants, and many others would like to treat it as a protected species. It is taking over ...
view the full question and answer
Low maintenance, native plants for sloping drive near Philadelphia
October 20, 2004 - My cabin is located in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia. I am looking for low maintenance plants that would look good on the sides of a driveway that slopes upward. This is a potential project fo...
view the full question and answer
Shade Tolerant Groundcover for Texas
July 13, 2016 - I live in Atascosa county in Pleasanton Texas, I have an abundance of Live Oak and Ash trees shading my property and need a groundcover for my backyard which is nothing but sand and where I have dogs ...
view the full question and answer
Ground cover for a sunny hillside in TX
February 20, 2011 - For many years I have had two beds of English Ivy under medium size pine trees. Home is on a hillside, moderately rocky. Last Spring my yardman persuaded me to severely trim lower limbs of the pines t...
view the full question and answer
Help with control of small, invasive groundcover
April 16, 2012 - I have a very invasive ground cover creeping into my yard. I've tried to identify it and it's similar to creeping charlie or garlic mustard. Leaves are triangular with jagged edges, small purple f...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |