Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
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.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Saturday - November 09, 2013
From: Quincy, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Erosion Control, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Plant Suggestions for a Partly Sunny Steep Bank in Illinois
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
I am looking to plant something on a steep clay bank on our Illinois property. It is on the edge of our dirt road with trees above the bank and is partly sunny. What would work best for that type of area?ANSWER:
The first place to go to find a list of potential plants for your partly shady steep bank 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: State – Illinois, Habit – Shrub, Duration – Perennial, Leaf Retention – deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen, Light Requirement – part shade, Soil Moisture – moist (even though it is a steep bank, moist is selected because of the clay soil). These search criteria will give you 72 native plants to consider. You can narrow down this search further by indicating a shrub size, blooming time and bloom color too if you like.
Some of the plants that are included in this search are:
Aesculus pavia (scarlet buckeye)
Amorpha fruticosa (indigo bush)
Amelanchier stolonifera (running serviceberry)
Cornus alternifolia (alternateleaf dogwood)
Ilex decidua (possumhaw)
Lindera benzoin (north spicebush)
Photinia melanocarpa (black chokeberry)
Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac)
Rosa acicularis (prickly rose)
Spiraea alba (white meadowsweet)
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (coralberry)
Viburnum lentago (nannyberry)
If you are considering using Illinois groundcovers with your shrubs or trees, Mr. Smarty Plants has already put together a list of plants to consider in this previous question.
From the Image Gallery
More Trees Questions
Damaged oaks from Hurricane Ike in League City, TX
August 25, 2009 - After hurricane IKE, one of our oak trees (in front yard) was partially uprooted from the ground. We did place it back, and tie it down with supports. Further, we inserted fertilizer spikes, and give ...
view the full question and answer
Are Chickasaw plums evergreen?
August 13, 2014 - Are Chickasaw Plums evergreens? I've been very interested in planting a few but some websites say they are evergreens while others say the opposite. Furthermore, would I have to plant a male and fema...
view the full question and answer
Dirt at tree base from Austin
November 03, 2012 - Hello,
I recently bought a home in Austin with a live oak tree which is about eight years old. The previous owner did exactly what all the experts say NOT to do, which was to mound dirt right up agai...
view the full question and answer
Name of the cedar tree at Lake Travis
May 27, 2009 - What is the name of the cedar tree that is at Lake Travis?
view the full question and answer
Vehicle friendly oak trees for Austin
March 30, 2008 - Do Chinquapins, Shumards or Live Oaks produce lots of tree sap? I'm looking for a vehicle friendly Oak tree to be installed in parking areas in Austin, Texas.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |