Native Plants
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Tuesday - December 08, 2009
From: Corneilius, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Erosion Control
Title: Need a ground cover to stop erosion on a slope next to a pond.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
I have a large natural pond. One side has a steep slope. I need a attractive,low/no maintenance, evergreen? plant to stop the erosion into the pond. Cornelius/charlotte ncANSWER:
Generally, when Mr. Smarty Plants thinks about stopping erosion, he thinks about grasses. Grasses and/or sedges are very efficient in controlling erosion since their fibrous root systems hold the soil very well.
Here is a short list of sedges and grasses whose distribution includes North Carolina
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)
Also, here are some woody perennials that could help your situation.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry)
Leucothoe axillaris (coastal doghobble)
Pieris floribunda (mountain fetterbush) plus images
Vaccinium crassifolium (creeping blueberry plus images
Morella caroliniensis (southern bayberry) plus images
For help closer to home, you might contact the folks at NC Cooperative Extension in Mecklenburg County .
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