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Tuesday - April 13, 2010

From: Boone, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Planting for slope in Boone, NC
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

What would you suggest for planting on a slope, located in Boone, NC? Approximately 600 to 800 sq. ft.

ANSWER:

Bet you do have a slope, since Boone is at an elevation of 3333 ft., in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. This means that you are in a "subtropical highland" but still have vicious winters, so we will be very careful that any plants we suggest are native in or near Watauga County, USDA Hardiness Zone 6b to 7a. However, we don't have much more to go on, since you didn't tell us if there was sun or shade, whether the area was irrigated, or if there are trees and bushes already on the site. We always recommend native grasses for slopes, because their long fibrous roots will help hold the soil and provide habitat, shelter and food for birds and small mammals. An area that big would be wonderful for a meadow garden. Read our How-To Article on Meadow Gardening for some ideas.

To help you plan, we are going to go to our Recommended Species, select on North Carolina and then "herbs" (herbaceous blooming plants) under GENERAL APPEARANCE. For the "grasses and grass-like plants" you will need to search in the Native Plants Database. Because we don't know any more about your site, we can't check on the other factors, like LIGHT REQUIREMENTS or SOIL MOISTURE. You can go back and do this search for yourself, putting in some of the things we don't know about your property. Follow the plant links to our webpages on individual plants to learn about size, blooming time, whether it is perennial or annual and so forth. Remember, what we are suggesting are only examples of plants that would do well in your situation. We recommend that you also contact the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Office for Watauga County. Extension offices often publish lists of plants that will grow well in their county.

Herbaceous Blooming Flowers for a Slope in Boone NC:

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)

Monarda didyma (scarlet beebalm)

Grasses and Grass-Like Plants for a Slope in Boone NC:

Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)

Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)

Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill)

Saccharum alopecuroides (silver plumegrass)

From our Native Plant Image Gallery: