Native Plants
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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.
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Wednesday - February 18, 2009
From: Bossier City, LA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Native grasses for groundcover in Bossier, LA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
What kind of ground cover can I plant on a slope that gets full sun?ANSWER:
There are a number of sun-loving grasses that will do very well on the slope you describe. Grasses are the best ground cover for a slope because they have fibrous roots and will form a sod that holds the soil and keeps it from washing away in heavy rains or during irrigation. We are going to go to our Recommended Species, click on Louisiana on the map, NARROW YOUR SEARCH, and then specify "grasses" under Habit and "full sun" (more than 6 hours of sun a day) under Light Requirements and suggest some grasses from that list. You can do the same thing, making your own selections. At the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, we recommend only plants native not only to North America but to the area in which the plants are being grown. Because they are accustomed to the environment, the native plants will require less water, fertilizer and maintenance to flourish. Follow each plant link to the webpage on the individual plants to learn more about their care and culture. At the bottom of each webpage is a link to Google for more information on that specific plant.
GRASSES FOR FULL SUN IN LOUISIANA
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)
Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama)
Muhlenbergia reverchonii (seep muhly)
Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)
More Groundcovers Questions
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April 23, 2013 - I am looking for a drought resistant ground cover that you can walk on. I live on a south facing, sunny corner lot, 2 blocks from the beach where people park and need to cross over to get to the sidew...
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Native groundcover for sun in East Texas
June 09, 2008 - I am hoping you can advise me on a native, flowering, fast growing groundcover that would thrive in full sun, with some shady areas under a couple camellia trees. I live in Nacogdoches and have sandy...
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Groundcover for steep slope under large oak in East Texas
May 17, 2009 - I live in Longview and have a slope on the west side of my house that is eroding. There is a large 18-20 y-o oak tree that shades half the slope. The slope itself is too steep to safely/easily mow. ...
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Reducing Allergens in Yards and Gardens
January 31, 2012 - What are some allergen-free native plants to Central Texas that thrive in the soil and can survive in the weather?
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Ground cover for slippery slope
May 20, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I am looking for a ground cover for a slippery slope. Do you have any suggestions?
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