Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
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Thursday - March 26, 2009
From: Alamo, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Grasses for area under pecan tree in Tennessee
Answered by: Jackie OKeefe
QUESTION:
I have two big pecan trees in my yard and would like to know what kind of grasses would thrive in the shade and also survive for my area of the country.ANSWER:
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to encouraging the use of native flora, so our suggestions work from that palette of options.
You may have two issues here. Pecan trees are in the Juglandaceae family - walnuts, butternuts, pecans and hickories. They practice a defense mechanism called allelopathy in which they release a chemical which retards the growth of other plants under them. In this case, it is a chemical called Juglone, found chiefly in buds, hulls and roots, which acts as an inhibitor. Black walnut has the highest concentration of Juglone but pecans can exhibit some of the same inhibitory behavior. Grasses are not notably affected by this chemical, but many other species are. This previous answer from Mr. Smarty Plants, although referring to a black walnut tree, gives you some excellent links to more information, as does this one on pecans in Dallas, TX.
Shade is the other factor which limits your options. Only some grasses are adapted to shade, and their growth patterns tend to have more of a woodland than a turf grass appearance. I have listed some grasses that are native to Tennessee and shade-tolerant. I also suggested a few ferns.
Other alternatives might be to use a native groundcover, a mix of native plants, or even just a layer of mulch as groundcover. The site below has a list of native plants particular to West Tennessee compiled by the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council. Scroll to the bottom to see a suggested grouping of native plants for a shady spot.
If you would like to research other options, go to our Native Plant Database, and use the Combination Search option.
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex crinita (fringed sedge) - pictures
Elymus hystrix var. hystrix (eastern bottlebrush grass)
Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)
Elymus virginicus (Virginia wildrye)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)
Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill)
A little more about nimblewill, this grass can be a spreader; see this Wikipedia website Nimblewill.
Athyrium filix-femina (common ladyfern)
Adiantum pedatum (northern maidenhair)
Phegopteris hexagonoptera (broad beechfern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern)
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides) for horse pastures
February 04, 2008 - Can Buffalo Grass be used for browse for horse pastures?
view the full question and answer
Replacement for shade grass in El Paso TX
April 05, 2013 - We currently have a Honey Mesquite tree with thinning bermuda grass underneath in our front yard. I suspect that the filtered shade is killing the bermuda. I was thinking of planting Buffalo Grass, or...
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Green wall panel for Dallas
August 21, 2007 - We are working on a green wall panel for a hotel near SMU--I see your list of recommended species for green roofs, & wondered if you have any ideas for vertical applications. Probably will have someth...
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Erosion control on partially shaded slope
November 27, 2010 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in Atlanta, GA. My house is on a hill, and I am beginning to have erosion at my backyard porch (concrete slab, on the corners especially). The soil is mainly red clay, a...
view the full question and answer
Looking for a tall ornamental grass native to Massachusetts.
July 23, 2009 - I am looking for a tall (4-8 ft) ornamental grass, native to Massachusetts/ New England. It needs to be tolerant of moist to wet soil, and preferably colorful. Thanks for your help.
view the full question and answer
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