Native Plants
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Saturday - April 25, 2009
From: Salisbury, CT
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Native plants to retain slope in Salisbury, CT
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
We want to plant a newly dug out slope with native plants that will retain the dirt. It is sun to part sun near a lake summer cottage. Thanks!!!ANSWER:
The best thing for retention of that slope would be a meadow garden, which combines grasses, which are world class erosion preventers, and wildflowers for a pleasant view from your cottage. Begin by reading our How-To Article, Meadow Gardening. We will follow up by going to our Recommended Species section, clicking on Connecticut on the map, and searching for grasses and wildflowers native to your area that you can plant. You can repeat the same process, going to the Native Plant Database for the grasses, and make your own choices. Follow the plant links to each individual plant webpage to learn propagation techniques, amount of moisture needed,etc.
Herbaceous blooming plants
Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) - perennial, 1 to 3 ft. tall, blooms white, pink April to September, sun, part shade
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed) - perennial, 1 to 2 ft., deciduous, blooms orange, yellow May to september, sun, part shade
Anemone canadensis (Canadian anemone) - perennial, 1 to 2 ft., blooms white April to June, part shade, shade
Chamerion angustifolium ssp. angustifolium (fireweed) - perennial, 3 to 5 ft. tall, blooms white, piink purple June to August, sun
Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower) - perennial to 3 ft., blooms blue, purple July to November, sun, part shade
Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf tickseed) - perennial to 1 ft. tall, blooms yellow April to June,
Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia) - perenial, 2 to 3 ft., blooms blue July to October, sun to shade
Monarda didyma (scarlet beebalm) - perennial, 3 ft., blooms red May to October, sun, pat shade
Grasses
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) - warn season perennial, 4 to 8 ft. tall, sun, part shade
Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama) - warm season perennial, 1 to 3 ft., sun, part shade
Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama) - perennial, 1 to 3 ft., sun
Calamagrostis canadensis (bluejoint) - perennial, 3 to 5 ft, sun to shade
Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye) - cool season perennial, deciduous, 3 to 6 ft., sun, part shade
Muhlenbergia capillaris (hairawn muhly) - perennial, 1 to 3 ft., sun
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) - perennial, 18 to 24 inches, sun, part shade
Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass) - perennial, 3 to 6 ft. part shade
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Erosion control on slope from Columbia SC
April 25, 2013 - We are in the process of having a new home built in Columbia South Carolina. Part of the front yard has a steep slope starting approximately four feet from the corner of the house and running to the ...
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Non-invasive, drought tolerant turf grass for Brownsville TX
May 22, 2010 - Since Bermudagrass is considered "invasive" by many in the industry, what drought tolerant, non-invasive turf grass would you recommend for South Texas lawns? (Brownsville area)
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Removal of weeds in buffalograss mix in Houston
June 15, 2009 - I recently attempted to seed a small lawn area with a buffalo/blue grama grass mix, unfortunately for me the area has been hit hard with weeds.
Is there an environmentally friendly method to reduce...
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Controlling switchgrass in Fredericksburg TX
June 12, 2010 - How do you kill switch grass..too much has grown on our property. Originally planted to stop erosion due to oak wilted trees lost on hill behind house, which worked,but now it is everywhere.
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Ground cover under Spruces from West Chester PA
December 06, 2012 - Trying to get a native groundcover (or any grass/wildflower/fern) planting established under a small stand of spruces. Established stand (30+ years old), so lots of needles on ground. Just about tot...
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