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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

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.

Search Smarty Plants

See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer

21 ratings

Thursday - April 21, 2011

From: Ipava, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Erosion Control
Title: Plants for erosion control in IL
Answered by: Anne Bossart

QUESTION:

Steep 40ft slope in rural Illinois with Sandy soil. Recently several trees slid down this slope due to wet conditions. We need any inexpensive plants to hold the hillside in check before erosion creeps and causes cabin damage.

ANSWER:

Your best bet are ornamental grasses. Their fibrous root systems make them drought tolerant (a necessity in the quick draining, sandy conditions you describe) and help them hold the soil. There are also a number of native prairie wildflowers that fit the bill and will help transfrm your slope from a liability to a native meadow planting that is not only pretty to look at, but provides wildlife habitat as well.

You can generate lists of native plants by visiting our Native Plant Database and doing a Combination Search. Select: Illinois/grasses(or herbaceous plants) and the light and soil conditions. I suspect that even though you had a slide due to wet conditions, once you have the slope stablilized the conditions will actually be dry due to rapid drainage from the steep slope and sandy soil.

You will ultimately be limited by what plants are available in the nurseries but here are some plants from those lists we think will work for you:

Grasses

Ammophila breviligulata (American beach grass)

Andropogon gerardii (Big bluestem)

Andropogon glomeratus (Bushy bluestem)

Calamagrostis canadensis (Bluejoint)

Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)

Muhlenbergia capillaris (Gulf muhly)

Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)

Schizachyrium scoparium (Little bluestem)

Perennials (wildflowers)

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)