Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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?

Share

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
Not Yet Rated

Sunday - May 02, 2010

From: Grayson, LA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Erosion Control
Title: Erosion control in Grayson, LA
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We live in northern Louisiana. We have a small hill beside our carport that washes. What can we plant to help keep this from washing that will stay green all year long?

ANSWER:

Since you did not specify the sun exposure on your slope, nor say how steep it is, we can only give you a general answer, based on a previous answer which involved the same general climate and USDA Hardiness Zone of 8a. We also cannot guarantee that the area will stay green all year. With careful choices of which plants, the area will, at the very least, stay attractive all year. 

Grasses and sedges are excellent choices for erosion control.  Their extensive fibrous roots will help to hold the sandy soil in place. You will need to read the "Growing Conditions" for each species recommended below to see if their requirements for light, moisture and soil type match the conditions at your site.  Here are some suggestions for grasses native to your area:

Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) 4 to 8 feet tall and grows in sun (6 hours or more of sun per day) or part shade (2 to 6 hours of sun per day).

Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama) 2 to 3 feet and grows in sun or part shade.

Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss) 3 to 12 inches and does very well in sun but not very well in part shade or shade (less than 2 hours sun per day).

Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama) 12-14 inches and, like buffalograss, prefers full sun.

Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats) 2 to 4 feet and grows in part shade or shade.

Muhlenbergia reverchonii (seep muhly) 2 to 3.5 feet and grows best in sun.

Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) 3 to 6 feet and grows in sun or part shade.

Poa arachnifera (Texas bluegrass) 1 to 1.5 feet and grows in sun or part shade.

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) 1.5 to 3 feet and grows in sun or part shade.

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) 3 to 8 feet and grows in sun, part shade or shade.

Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass) 2 to 3 feet but can reach 10 feet and grows best in part shade.

Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge) grows to 12 inches and in sun, part shade, or shade.

Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge) 12 to 18 inches and grows in part shade.

Carex planostachys (cedar sedge) grows to 12 inches and grows in part shade.

Carex texensis (Texas sedge) 10 to 12 inches and grows in sun and part shade.

Although you are not creating a meadow or a lawn, "Meadow Gardening" and "Native Lawns" in our HOW TO ARTICLES have useful hints for planting and maintaining native grasses.  You can also include some wildflowers with your grass species in your planting but the grasses should be predominant for the best erosion control.  You can see a variety of wildflowers for your area in our Recommended Species list, click on Louisiana on the map, indicating herbs (herbaceous blooming plants), annual, sunlight available; you can check our National Suppliers Directory for seed companies and nurseries that specialize in native plants near you.

I don't know how large an area you need to cover.  If it is small you might be able to use grass plugs.  However, if it is a large area, seeds may be a better solution.  Since you indicate that the slope is steep you might consider using an erosion control blanket.  The erosion-control fabric works by slowing the runoff water and allowing sediments to fall out rather than be washed away. Seeds are sown under the erosion-control material and grow up through the matting when they germinate. You can also insert plants into the soil by cutting through the matting. The roots of the plants that are growing through the erosion-control material anchor the soil to stop the erosion. If you use erosion-control blankets made of biodegrable material, they will eventually disappear leaving the plants to control the problem.  Many nurseries carry this erosion control fabric. 

Here are a few selected photos from our Image Gallery of the grasses and sedges listed above:

 

More Erosion Control Questions

Native plants to prevent erosion in Maryland
February 03, 2009 - Please can you recommend native plants for a north-facing slope, under pine trees? I live in Maryland near the border between the Coastal Plain and Piedmont Plateau, where we have cold to mild Winter...
view the full question and answer

Native plants both deer resistant and good for erosion from North Oaks MN
August 23, 2012 - We have several partially sunny areas on hills that are prone to both deer and erosion. Our goal is to reduce runoff in an effort to preserve the watershed that provides tap water to many citizens of ...
view the full question and answer

Wildflowers for floodplain near Denton, TX
March 22, 2015 - Hello, I am a member of my HOA board and am researching the possibility of filling in our floodplains with wildflowers. Currently the floodplains are grass only and span a few acres. Our goal is to t...
view the full question and answer

Erosion control in Santaquin UT
August 11, 2009 - I have a hill in my backyard; it is about 40 ft tall and about 80 ft wide. It is probably a 1.5 to 1 slope ratio. I am going to be landscaping my back yard and have top soil put on the hill as well. S...
view the full question and answer

Difficult slope in Tarrytown NY
March 03, 2009 - I hope you can help. Is there a way to plant some native shrubs and plants on a steep slope that is filled in some areas with rock without having to tier the slope? The section is approximately 50' w...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.