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
Friday - April 30, 2010
From: Hendersonville, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Erosion Control, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Need to stabilize a south facing slope in Henderson, NC
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Hi, I have a south facing slope that is heavy clay with rock under it. It gets a lot of sun. I have planted a few bushes and some ground cover, but with all the snow and rain we had this past winter, part of the slope came down into the driveway felling the 4 foot high retaining wall. I paid a guy $400 to fix the retaining wall. He put black nursery cloth on the top and placed large flat rocks on top of that. What should I plant to keep the soil from sliding again. Its about a 60 degree slope. ThanksANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants can't help you with the retaining wall part, but he can suggest some plants that you can use to help stabilize the slope. We usually recommend grasses for this because their fibrous root system helps to hold the soil particle and prevent erosion. When you hear "grasses" you may think about the turf grasses that require mowing to appear attractive. The grasses we are suggesting are sometimes called ornamental grasses or bunch grasses that require no mowing. Planting a combination of grasses , sedges, and small flowering plants may provide the stabilization that your slope needs. You may want to consult a structural engineer or a landscape architect to deal with the issues concerning the retaining wall.
Lets start by going to our Native Plant Database and scrolling down to the Combination Search box and make these selections; select North Carolina under State, Grass/grass-like under Habit, Perennial under Duration, Sun under Light Requirement, and Moist under Soli Moisture. Click the "Submit Combination Search" button and you will get a list of 45 native plants in North Carolina that match these characteristics. Clicking on the name of each plant will bring up its NPIN page that contains a description of the plant, its habitat and growing conditions along with images.
For the flowering plants we'll try another approach. Let's go to the RECOMMENDED SPECIES page and select North Carolina on the map. This will give you a list of 135 commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in North Carolina. Go to the Narrow Your Search box on the right side of the page and follow the procedure as before; selecting Herb under Habit instead of Grass/grass-like. Clicking the Narrow your Search button will trim your list to 18. You can alter either list by going back and changing your choices in the categories.
Here is a short list of grasses and sedges, as well as flowering herbs that you might consider for your hillside.
Our Suppliers Directory can help you locate nurseries close to you that sell the plants that you select.
Grasses and sedges
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)
Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)
Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Flowering herbs
Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
Liatris spicata (dense blazing star)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry)
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Texas natives to plant in July and August
July 23, 2008 - My husband and I have a disaster of a lawn that we were planning to develop slowly, over time, with a sustainable design we contracted from a landscape designer. However, we are having to move out of...
view the full question and answer
Evergreen for sunny, dry area under a maple in Connecticut
October 10, 2015 - I have a sloped, very sunny, dry area under a maple. I was wondering if Sweet Fern would be a likely candidate for this area. I would like it to
be evergreen and to be able to survive under mounds of...
view the full question and answer
Hillside Groundcovers for Pollinating Insects in Wisconsin
November 28, 2015 - I am looking for native plants for a project around Hudson, Wisconsin. We are to choose native plants to be seeded next spring 2016. They are to be planted on a hillside under and around solar panels ...
view the full question and answer
Texas native plants for cemetery site
February 09, 2005 - I am trying to landscape my mothers gravesite located in far East Texas (just outside of Nacogdoches) and I am looking for some evergreen bushes or any other decorative plants for that area. I am thi...
view the full question and answer
Need source of plants for making teas in Bend, Oregon.
July 08, 2012 - I love to make my own tea, just moved to central Oregon and want to know some good plants I can find anywhere in town and can use in my teas.
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |