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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Saturday - May 11, 2013
From: Northwood, NH
Region: Northeast
Topic: Erosion Control, Groundcovers, Shrubs, Vines
Title: Shrub or Vine for NH Slope
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
I'm looking for a native plant/shrub/vine that can be used to control erosion on a relatively steep slope in New Hampshire. Do you know of any?ANSWER:
There are plenty of native shrubs and a few vines that are good potential plants for your steep slope. The first place to go to find a list of potential plants is our Native Plant Database. Use the Combination Search feature instead of Recommended Species. This will provide a bigger selection with much more choice to narrow down. The volunteers and staff at the Wildflower Center who maintain the database have partners in different regions to help with these recommended species lists based on what is easy to access in local nurseries.
Under Combination Search, select the following categories: New Hampshire, Habit – vine and shrub, Duration – perennial, Light requirement – sun, and Soil moisture – dry (because of the slope).
Some of the more drought and sun tolerant vine and shrub possibilities that could be used as steep slope groundcover plants include:
Clematis virginiana (Devil’s darning needles) fine-textured vine to 15 ft. A profusion of small white flowers in summer followed by a plume-like feathery achene.
Physocarpus opulifolius (Atlantic ninebark) rounded shrub to 10 ft, white clusters of blooms, yellow fall color.
Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac) spreading shrub to 12 ft. Vibrant fall color, dark red berries that persist into winter.
Rhus glabra (smooth sumac) colony forming to 20 ft. Bright red berries in clusters that persist into winter.
Rosa acicularis (prickly rose) shrub up to 4 ft. Whitish-pink blooms June-July, smooth red hips follow.
Rosa blanda (smooth rose) nearly thornless, pale pink to white blooms June –August , spreads vigorously by root suckers.
Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (grayleaf red raspberry) 6 feet tall and 12 feet wide, produces edible red fruit.
Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry) forms broad colonies, black edible fruit.
Symphoricarpos albus (common snowberry) to 5 ft tall, small pinkish-white blooms are followed by round white fruit.
Viburnum acerifolium (mapleleaf viburnum) to 6 ft tall and 4 ft wide, clusters of white flowers are followed by blue-black berried.
From the Image Gallery
More Groundcovers Questions
Ground cover that won't hide snakes from Asheville NC
June 29, 2012 - I have an unusual situation: several bare areas in an otherwise wooded area, which receive partial sun, and are not near water -- it rains here frequently, but the soil can become quite dry at times.
...
view the full question and answer
Plants for a Steep, Sunny Slope in Iowa
April 28, 2013 - I am looking for plants native to Iowa for a steep, sunny slope or groundcover.
view the full question and answer
Drought-Tolerant, Evergreen Groundcover for CA
August 21, 2014 - We are looking for a drought tolerant, evergreen groundcover for California. I am considering Sarcococca hookeriana and Cotoneaster dammeri but don't know if they're the best options for the area. I...
view the full question and answer
Short or mowable plant for walkway
June 03, 2008 - I'd like a short and/or mowable plant to use as a walkway in and around a vegetable garden in upstate NY. I was planning on clover, but I want to use a native plant if possible. The native clovers ...
view the full question and answer
Destruction of Straggler Daisy in Austin
December 18, 2011 - I hate Straggler Daisy. Not to be offensive, but it appears from other posts on this site that you, Mr. Smarty Plants, and many others would like to treat it as a protected species. It is taking over ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |