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)
Tuesday - September 02, 2008
From: Nashville, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Native plants for bioswale in Tennessee
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
What native plants do you recommend for a bioswale in Tennessee?ANSWER:
Obviously, you saw our previous answer on a bioswale in Baltimore. Without repeating all the explanation, we are going to give you a list of prairie grasses that are native to Tennessee. These are all members of the Poaceae or grass family. You can find alternatives for yourself by going to the Native Plant Database and Narrow Your Search by selecting Tennessee and grass or grasslike habit. Then, go to our Native Plant Suppliers section, type in your town and state in the Enter Search Location box and you will get a list of native seed companies, plant nurseries and landscape professional in your general area. They can probably give you better advice and plant recommendations than we can from a distance.
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)
Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem)
Bothriochloa laguroides ssp. torreyana (silver beardgrass)
Bromus ciliatus (fringed brome)
Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)
Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon (roundseed panicgrass)
Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)
Elymus hystrix var. hystrix (eastern bottlebrush grass)
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Plants for 100 gal. pot by pool from Ft. Worth TX
June 23, 2012 - What North Texas evergreen — or combination of evergreen plants, bushes or trees — could thrive in a huge, 100-gallon clay pot (immovable!) that is situated in full sun year round in an exposed area n...
view the full question and answer
Flowering native plants for Bastrop, TX
February 20, 2009 - What type of flowering plants, trees,and bushes will grow in Bastrop, Texas? I see lots of things around, please help, have never done before.
view the full question and answer
Native grasses for wildlife in Katrina recovery area of Louisiana
June 21, 2009 - I live in La in an area decimated by Katrina and want to establish 11 acres of wildlife friendly native short grasses. It is partly designated wetlands because it floods, but also has long periods wi...
view the full question and answer
Ornamental grasses under desert willows from Dallas, TX
September 06, 2013 - I am planning on planting 3 desert willows in full sun, below the power lines at the back of my back yard in the White Rock Lake area of Dallas. I would like to plant some ornamental grasses in the be...
view the full question and answer
Bioswale in Orange CA
September 08, 2009 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
I'm looking for plants for a bio-swale in Southern California. Do you have any suggestions for plants that do well in water but can also can handle long dry summers?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |