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

Monday - May 17, 2010
From: Cumming, GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Erosion Control
Title: Plants for erosion control in Georgia
Answered by: Anne Bossart
QUESTION:
Hello, I have a question regarding water run-off coming from the neighbors yard as my yard is below their yard. What kind of ground cover would grow very quickly (low to ground) to help with the run-off and erosion control. I am in zone 7 (North East Atlanta) and my lot is somewhat woody. This area will have some sun to partial shade. I have looked at Blue Pacific Juniper's as a possibility. Suggestions?ANSWER:
The issue of stormwater runoff and erosion from a neighbor's property can be a delicate one. In most communities there are bylaws stating that you must prevent runoff onto adjacent property, but bringing up the subject can be uncomfortable.
If you have a good relationship with your neighbour you may be able to shape the land on both properties anough to create a series of rain gardens. Simply put, a rain garden is a depression in the garden that slows down the flow of water, allowing it to infiltrate the soil instead of allowing it to rush downhill carriying topsoil and pollutants with it. The depression is planted with plants that are adapted to conditions alternating between very wet and very dry. You will find a very comprehension publication about rain gardens, along with instructions and plant lists published by the Clean Water Campaign in Atlanta by following this link. Clean Water Atlanta also has a publication and a suggested plant list.
If the project is too daunting, at the very least you will want to do some planting to prevent further erosion. You are looking for plants with a fibrous root system and/or that spread by underground runners. Because you say your property is woody, the soil may be dry. You can search our Native Plant Database for suitable plants by doing a Combination Search for Georgia and then selecting the light and moisture conditions on your site. You can search for herbaceous plants, shrubs and grasses separately. The lists the database generates have links to detailed information pages about each plant where you can read about its root system and how rapidly each plant spreads. Grasses are ideal plants for these conditions, but you may find most of them to be taller than you want.
Here are a few suggestions selected from those lists:
Perennials
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Glandularia bipinnatifida (Dakota mock vervain)
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
Polygonatum biflorum (smooth Solomon's seal)
Rubus trivialis (southern dewberry)
Tradescantia ohiensis (bluejacket)
Small shrubs
Comptonia peregrina (sweet fern)
Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry)
Hypericum prolificum (shrubby St. Johnswort)
More Erosion Control Questions
Ground cover for a slope in San Antonio TX
July 02, 2013 - Slope growing, no or little irrigation ground cover. The slope is probably greater than 30%. The area is currently a construction road at the base, cut into the hill. To re-establish with a ground cov...
view the full question and answer
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
Plants for a steep bank in Virginia
June 23, 2009 - I have a small yard with a 3 foot steep bank that I want to plant on. I am looking for fast growing ground cover. There is some shade but not a lot and has a southern exposure. Ground is a bit roug...
view the full question and answer
O.K. to grow grass under a live oak?
November 26, 2014 - Is it a bad idea to plant grass around a mature live oak? We have erosion issues and trying to keep mulch in the beds around the tree groves is a challenge, even with edging. Much of the native dirt...
view the full question and answer
Plants for erosion control in arid region
September 29, 2008 - In semi arid south west (Phoenix), the drainage is managed by creating incised channels. Typically, the dirt channel can erode with even very low velocities of moving water. To reduce erosion therefor...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |