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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - July 23, 2008
From: Middletown, NJ
Region: Northeast
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Groundcover for sunny yard in New Jersey
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hi. I'm looking for ground cover for a mostly sunny section of my yard. The ground we are looking to cover is next to a slight hill with in a few feet of an in ground pool. I would like something that grows short, maybe a few inches, that also has a thick root system to keep the top soil in place. ThanksANSWER:
Grasses and sedges are excellent in holding top soil in place because of their fibrous root systems. The grasses listed below are not low-growing, but they are ornamental and clumping. You could perhaps use some of them in association with other groundcover plants. The sedges are shorter than the grasses and evergreen or semi-evergreen. The Christmas fern grows up to two feet high, but the remainder of the plants are low-growing.Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats) shade, part shade
Deschampsia caespitosa (tufted hairgrass) part shade
Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye) shade, part shade, sun
Muhlenbergia capillaris (hairawn muhly) sun
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) part shade, sun
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge) shade, part shade, sun and evergreen
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) shade, part shade, sun and semi-evergreen
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) shade, part shade, sun
Phlox subulata (moss phlox) shade, part shade, sun and evergreen
Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry) shade, part shade and evergreen
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry) shade, part shade and evergreen
Claytonia virginica (Virginia springbeauty) part shade
More Groundcovers Questions
Marbleseed (Onosmodium sp.) propagation and use as groundcover for
October 08, 2007 - I am interested in any information, esp. propagation & suitability as a landscape plant, (possible ground cover?) for marble seed. I have found it growing in deep shade on stream banks. It has a 4--...
view the full question and answer
Groundcovers for North Central Texas
May 27, 2014 - I have a very large area that is in Palo Pinto County, Texas. We tried to plant grass but it never established. I'm looking for a ground cover that does well in shade (lots of oak tees) and is semi d...
view the full question and answer
Ground cover for trails in Northeast Texas
January 09, 2008 - I have several acres of wooded land in Northeast Texas, Southern Lamar County. Both sandy and black land. I have created trails through the woods and would like to plant a native ground cover or gras...
view the full question and answer
Native plants for groundcover under Magnolia in Austin
April 09, 2009 - What plants native to the Austin, Tx area will do well underneath a large magnolia tree (instead of the English ivy that is there)?
view the full question and answer
Ground cover under live oaks
June 18, 2012 - I have some areas under Live Oak trees (maybe 200 sq. ft.)that remain bare, in spite of trying Habiturf. Soil is dry, poor and shallow. Can you suggest a living ground cover that would not require m...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |