Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Thursday - May 03, 2012
From: Concord, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Planting, Erosion Control, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Steep slope from Charlotte NC
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I live near Charlotte, NC and I have a very steep sloped area from the edge of our front yard down to the road. It's a huge eyesore mainly because it is red clay dirt and has nothing growing on it. We also have two very large trees directly beside the hills so it gives us a very hard time with all of the roots. Please help, what plant - annual flower/vine - do you recommend and what do I do to make sure it grows?ANSWER:
Boy, you do have problems with clay slopes in North Carolina. We did a quick scan of previous Mr. Smarty Plant questions on this subject and found several that had good answers and even plant lists, and all from North Carolina.
Durham, NC - Durham County, very close to Wake and Chatham Counties
Cary, NC - Wake and Chatham Counties
Charlotte, in Mecklenburg County, is on the central southern border of North Carolina with South Carolina.
So, we're thinking that the plant lists and instructions on the previous questions should be of help to you, and we won't be repeating ourselves. As for making them grow, you have made a vital first step in using plants native to the region. Follow each plant link on the lists of plants to our webpage on that plant, and read how much moisture, sunlight, etc. it needs and place the plants accordingly in your garden.
More Erosion Control Questions
Plants to hold a slope in Northern New York
December 10, 2009 - I'm looking for native (South shore, Lake Ontario) plants to slow erosion on a steep, 20 foot bank. They don't have to be decorative (although flowering plants are always nice), but they should SPRE...
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Riverbank Plants for Minnesota
September 04, 2013 - I would like to stablize a steep riverbank slope along the Upper Mississippi in St. Cloud MN. The slopes are almost 1:1. We are using an open cell concrete matt in which we are going to plant native...
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Deer resistant plants for Pittsburgh PA
January 30, 2012 - What shrubs can I plant on a wet slope that gets partial sun that will help control erosion? They need to be something the deer won't eat! We have lots of deer.
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Need recommendations for native plants on a dry sunny hillside in Baltimore Maryland.
July 28, 2009 - Need native recommendations for sunny, dry hillside for ground cover or shrub in Maryland. Mowing the grass is a pain and an energy waster (and I don't want to be tempted to extend some adjacent exi...
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Erosion control on partially shaded slope
November 27, 2010 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in Atlanta, GA. My house is on a hill, and I am beginning to have erosion at my backyard porch (concrete slab, on the corners especially). The soil is mainly red clay, a...
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