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 - April 02, 2009
From: Low Moor, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Erosion Control
Title: Plants to prevent bank erosion in Virginia
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I am looking for good native plant choices for a steep river bank. My driveway is at the top of this slope, so I will need to avoid any plants that would cause erosion. I would prefer low shrubs.ANSWER:
Plants are the ideal solution to stop erosion, not to cause it, and Mr. Smarty Plants has some suggestions. First of all, if your slope is really steep, you might want to consider using erosion-control blankets. The erosion-control fabric works by slowing the runoff water and allowing sediment to fall out rather than be washed away. Seeds are sown under the erosion-control material and grow up through the matting when they germinate. Underneath the matting the roots of the plants growing through the erosion-control material anchor the soil to stop the erosion. If you use erosion-control blankets made of biodegrable material, they will eventually disappear leaving the plants to control the problem.Grasses are excellent plants to use on a slope to stop the erosion because of their extensive fibrous root systems which hold the soil in place. The challenge is to find grasses and other plants that will grow well in your space. You can intersperse shrubs with the grass to make an attractive ground cover. Unfortunately, I don't know what the sunlight and moisture conditions of your slope are. I will, therefore, offer some plants that have very broad light and moisture requirements. If some special conditions exist, you can search for your own plants by going to our Native Plant Database and doing a COMBINATION SEARCH choosing 'Virginia' and the appropriate selections from the other categories.
Grasses and sedges:
Andropogon virginicus (broomsedge bluestem)
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)
Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)
Low-growing shrubs:
Comptonia peregrina (sweet fern)
Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea)
Hypericum prolificum (shrubby St. Johnswort)
Artemisia ludoviciana (white sagebrush)
More Erosion Control Questions
Plants to stop erosion on sandy slope in north central Texas
November 27, 2009 - We have severe erosion problems that lead to a deep ravine.
There are deer in the area and the soil is sandy on a slope. What would be the best long term solution to stop or control this erosion. Th...
view the full question and answer
Low maintenance, shade tolerant groundcover for Pacific Northwest
August 09, 2012 - What's a good low maintenance, shade tolerant ground cover for the Pacific Northwest? It needs to have good erosion control, too.
view the full question and answer
Native grasses for erosion control in Harlingen, TX
March 12, 2009 - I like to know what type of fast growing grass, ground cover or trees I can put on a slope for erosion control in Harlingen Texas the slope receives afternoon Sun
view the full question and answer
Plants for controlling erosion on a cleared slope in Ohio
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...
view the full question and answer
Erosion on sandy bank in Wisconsin
June 24, 2008 - I live in Sand Creek Wisconsin. As the name states SAND. I have a problem with rain eroding the sand hill sides. Looking for some type of plant or plants that will help with the erosion problem.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |