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Ground cover suggestions #871714

Asked June 05, 2024, 12:48 PM EDT

I’m looking for a ground cover plant to cover the (fairly) steep sides of the hill my house sits on. Due to the grade mowing is not an option, so no grass. Hillsides face North, North East, and East. Full to partial shade. Soil is well drained and seems to be a sandy loam. I would prefer something close to the ground like creeping Jenny, but understand that it can be extremely invasive?

Washita County Oklahoma

Expert Response

Most grasses in general are good erosion control plants and they don't have to be mowed, including many native grasses. For a list of potential grasses see our fact sheet Ornamental Grasses and Grass-Like Plants for Oklahoma. There are some companies that sell native prairie grass mixes too.

Other potential plants include:

Woody shrubs/groundcovers - rockspray cotoneaster, creeping junipers, St. Johnswort, red and black chokeberries (dwarf black chokeberry cultivars), creeping mahonia, and Gro-low fragrant sumac.

Herbaceous perennials - winecup, carpet bugleweed, hardy plumbago or leadwort, hardy ice plant, prairie verbena, creeping heliotrope, sedums, and Homestead verbena. I have not experienced creeping jenny to be invasive in Oklahoma, and really doubt it would be in western Oklahoma so that is also an option if you like it.

Sunshine Nursery in Clinton is a good local resource that specializes in plants for the western portions of the state and may have some other good ideas.

David Hillock Replied June 27, 2024, 9:56 AM EDT

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