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)
Wednesday - August 03, 2011
From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Groundcovers, Turf, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Evergreen ground cover for San Antonio
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Is there a short, evergreen, drought tolerant ground cover which will tolerate light traffic that can be used instead of grass? San Antonio, TexasANSWER:
Here are a few groundcover plants that are evergreen in the San Antonio area. You didn't say what the light situation is, but most of these will grow in sun or part shade. All will tolerate at least some mowing and all are drought tolerant but will require moisture to become established.
Carex blanda (Eastern woodland sedge) grows in sun, part shade and shade.
Carex planostachys (Cedar sedge) grows best in part shade.
Carex perdentata (Meadow sedge) grows in sun.
Carex texensis (Texas sedge) grows in sun and part shade.
Calyptocarpus vialis (Straggler daisy) grows in sun, part shade and shade.
Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit) grows in sun and part shade.
I know that you said you wanted an alternative to grass, but you may not know about the Native Lawn alternatives that are being researched by the Wildflower Center. The major component is Bouteloua dactyloides (Buffalograss). You can have a lawn using exclusively buffalograss or you can add Bouteloua gracilis (Blue grama) and Hilaria belangeri (Curly mesquite grass) to make a multi-species lawn that uses very little water (once established), can be mowed as infrequently as once or twice a year, may turn brown in the dry, hot summer but greens again with rain. These three native grasses require full sun so if you are dealing with some areas that are shade or part shade, you would need to consider one of the groundcovers shown above, at least, for the shady area.
From the Image Gallery
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Should wait to trim Inland Sea Oats until all seeds have been dropped from Austin
March 18, 2011 - Regarding Inland Sea Oats: I trimmed the stalks that have lost all the seeds. Should I trim the rest of the stalks or wait until all seeds have dropped?
view the full question and answer
Habiturf lawn for townhouse in Austin
October 06, 2013 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in central Austin and on November 1st I will be moving into a townhome with a small yard of around 500 square feet. The yard has been neglected and currently looks to ...
view the full question and answer
Hardy, inexpensive perennials for Mansfield, TX
March 12, 2008 - I am trying to fill two flowerbeds that are in full sun mostly and right next to the house. I want something that can live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and is pretty hardy. I also don't want to spe...
view the full question and answer
Native grass mix for Bastrop County, TX
February 25, 2014 - I plan to put in a small lawn on a tract of land near Rosanky, TX in Bastrop County. There are scattered oaks but the yard space will be mostly open. Soil is basically sandy. Is there a good native...
view the full question and answer
Chigger Control in Habiturf from Plano, TX
April 08, 2015 - We converted our back yard in Plano, Texas to Habiturf last spring/summer and have a nice lawn; however, for the first time since we have lived in this house for 32 years, the lawn was full of chigger...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |