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
Monday - May 20, 2013
From: Brooklyn Park, MN
Region: Midwest
Topic: Erosion Control, Grasses or Grass-like, Shrubs
Title: Limiting erosion around pond from Brooklyn Park MN
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Minnesota resident, wants to find plant limit erosion from pond?ANSWER:
We are afraid this is not much information to go on, but we will see if we can help you find a solution for your erosion problem. First, we want you to know that the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, is commited to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but also to the area in which the plants evolved; in your case, Hennipin County, MN. This helps to ensure that the plants selected are already accustomed to the climate, rainfall and soils where they are being planted.
Here is a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer on controlling erosion around a lakeside area. The plants we suggest for you might not be the same as those for New Jersey, but the general plan is the same, using grasses with long fibrous roots and low shrubs with roots that will spread and hold the soil.
We will go to our Native Plant Database, and scroll down to the Combination Search. There we will select Minnesota for the state, "grass or grasslike" for Habit and 1' to 3' for Height. Since you did not indicate the amount of sunshine the area got each day, we will omit that specification, but you can follow each plant link to our webpage on that plant to discover what its optimal growing conditions are. After that search, we will repeat it, putting "shrub" under Habit. You can run the search yourself putting in whatever heights, bloom times, etc. you are looking for. We will check with the USDA Plant Profiles on each plant (a link is at the bottom of the plant page) to ensure that plant is native to the area of Hennepin County, in southeastern Minnesota. This gives a little more confidence that the plant can do well in the climate, rainfall and soils in your area.
If you have difficulty finding the native plants you want, go to our National Supplier's Directory, put your town and state, or just your zipcode, in the "Enter Search Location" box and click on GO. This will give you a list of native plant nurseries, seed suppliers and consultants in your general area. All have contact information so you can find out if they have what you are looking for before you go.
Grasses for erosion control:
Aristida purpurea (Purple threeawn)
Bouteloua hirsuta (Hairy grama)
Carex blanda (Eastern woodland sedge)
Carex plantaginea (Plantainleaf sedge)
Elymus canadensis (Canada wild rye)
Muhlenbergia schreberi (Nimblewill)
Shrubs for erosion control:
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnick)
Ceanothus americanus (New jersey tea)
Gaultheria hispidula (Creeping snowberry)
Gaultheria procumbens (Eastern teaberry)
From the Image Gallery
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Erosion tolerant plants for shade from Kerrville TX
August 06, 2013 - We have just cleared a lot of cedar out of a small draw and would like to know the best groundcovers, shrubs, etc. to plant to hold the soil. Deep shade most of the day.
view the full question and answer
Need native plant to stabilize 45 degree slope in Houston, TX.
June 06, 2012 - Can you recommend a native TX plant to be used to stabilize a 45 degree slope in the Houston area? Durability, maintenance and appearance should be considered. Thank You.
view the full question and answer
Use of hand-held seed spreader from Robstown TX
March 20, 2014 - I am planting native turf grass and prairie grasses as part of a backyard restoration on my 1.6 acre home site. My problem is good seed dispersal for the chaffey grass seeds. Have you have any luck...
view the full question and answer
Plants for delineating property line
July 18, 2010 - I have a neighbor who does not mow his grass or take care of a strip that runs between my property and his. I would like to plant some inexpensive, low maintenance, shrubs, that would do well in full...
view the full question and answer
Holding bare soil before sowing native grasses in spring.
November 03, 2009 - I want to try your buffalo/bluegrama/curly mesquite. Right now my yard is ploughed. What should I do until spring? I assume I should add living compost to the top 3", plant bluegrass for now, and ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |