Native Plants
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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - June 27, 2010
From: East Syracuse, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Erosion Control, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Plants for a steep slope in New York
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We just installed a swimming pool in our back yard, which is at the top of a south facing slope. After the pool was installed the slope is now 3 ft higher and very steep (unmowable). I'd guess steeper than a 45 degree angle. The over all area is about 45 ft wide and 12 ft high. The area was back filled with a gravely dirt mixture to ease the slope. And we will soon be adding topsoil on top of that. We'd like to plant the area with a variety of native plants, grasses and shrubs to avoid any erosion. Do you have any suggestions? Thank You.ANSWER:
With your steep slope and with new loose top soil, it sounds as if you would benefit from using some sort of 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 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. Most nurseries carry these erosion control blankets.
Let's start with grasses since the extensive fibrous roots of grasses are very effective in holding soil in place. Here are some native New York grasses that should do well:
Andropogon virginicus (broomsedge bluestem)
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)
Deschampsia cespitosa (tufted hairgrass)
Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass)
You can add other plants to the grasses, but since I don't know how much sunlight you have on your slope and how much moisture there is in the soil, I can only make general suggestions. You should check the GROWING CONDITIONS for each recommended plant to be sure that they match the conditions at your site. Here are some plants that grow in or adjacent to Onondaga County, New York that would be suitable to add to the slope.
Hypericum prolificum (shrubby St. Johnswort)
Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea)
Lupinus perennis (sundial lupine)
Monarda didyma (scarlet beebalm)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
Sibbaldiopsis tridentata (shrubby fivefingers)
You can find other possibilities on our New York Recommended page.
Here are photos from our Image Gallery:
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Low maintenance, low growing native plants
August 21, 2007 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
Could you recommend several low growing easy to maintain plants for planting next to our house. The area for the plants is next to the house(white stone) in between the house and t...
view the full question and answer
Should black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta) plants be cut back
May 02, 2007 - I have black-eyed susan plants that were beautiful last year and flowered for a long time. Do they need to be cut back and if so, how much?
view the full question and answer
Identity of plant that smells like oranges in Alpine, TX
August 16, 2012 - There are patches of flat bushy like plants in lawn, smells like orange. Areas may be 10" and spreading, but when pulled has small root. How can I get rid of this plant and what is it?
view the full question and answer
Early nectar blooms for Monarch butterflies from Austin
May 04, 2014 - Could you tell me any early spring blooming nectar plants that monarchs will nectar from. I'm specifically looking for bloom times in March and early April.
I have plenty of May blooms but not ...
view the full question and answer
Death of Texas Betony and Blackfoot Daisy from Austin
April 18, 2013 - I have one small area that there are two plants - Texas Betony and Blackfoot Daisy withered and died eventually. Same kinds of plants are doing fine close by. It is my front yard close to walk way.I w...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |