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
Thursday - March 26, 2009
From: Mundelein, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Erosion Control, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Plants for a creek bank in Northern Illinois
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hello. I live in Northern Illinois. The creek (northern exposure in a wooded area) on the back of my property has bare muddy banks and is subject to seasonal floods. I want to plant something hardy to control bank erosion. A combo of evergreen shrubs/trees/flowers would be ideal. Thank you in advance!ANSWER:
Here are some recommendations for native plants that should do well on your creek bank. Unfortunately, there are very few choices for evergreens.
GRASS/GRASS-LIKE
Carex stipata (owlfruit sedge)
Calamagrostis canadensis (bluejoint)
Equisetum hyemale (scouringrush horsetail), evergreen
SHRUBS/SMALL TREES
Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush)
Lindera benzoin (northern spicebush)
FLOWERS
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Eupatoriadelphus maculatus (spotted trumpetweed)
Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia)
Justicia americana (American water-willow)
You can see more possibilities by doing a COMBINATION SEARCH in the Native Plant Database by selecting 'Illinois' from the Select State or Province, 'Wet..' from Soil moisture, and your choice from the Habit (general appearance) option.
You can also find a list of Wetland Wildflowers of Illinois in the Illinois Wildflowers database.
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Shade loving plants with color for Irving, Texas
July 01, 2010 - Looking for shade loving perennials or annuals with color - native and low water. Live in Irving, Texas.
view the full question and answer
Drought-Tolerant Plants for Arizona
July 16, 2015 - Slowly turning south-facing lawn to drought-tolerant plantings with gravel paths. Mature Ponderosa and several blue spruce and junipers surround area. Grass area I'm converting with a few larger tr...
view the full question and answer
Information about Lady Lupine (Lupinus villosus)
April 20, 2008 - Dear Mr.Smarty Plants,
Lady Lupine grows in our yard in northeast Florida, and I would like to learn more about it, especially the stages it goes through, like now the purple petals themselves are c...
view the full question and answer
Plants for a moist, wooded area in North Carolina
December 06, 2014 - I am looking to plant some native flowers in a wooded area in Surry County NC. The chosen location is fully shaded beside a creek. The water table typically sets about 2 feet below the surface of th...
view the full question and answer
Native NW Pennsylvania Plants for Soap
November 06, 2014 - Are there any plants in northwest Pennsylvania that can be used as soap?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |