Shade-tolerant plant that will prevent bank erosion?

November 5, 2008 9:51 AM

Looking for a shade-tolerant plant that will prevent bank erosion that I can grow in North Carolina's triangle region.

I've recently moved to Durham, and my new place has exciting garden possibilities. One fix I want to make quickly involves the bank underneath my deck.

Elsewhere, the bank is covered by English ivy, which stabilizes the soil. But under the deck, there's not enough light for it to grow, meaning rain causes erosion and water flow toward my house.

I'm going to put in a french drain to try to catch much of this flow, but I'd also like to plant a shade-loving ground cover to help stabilize the bank. Any ideas for native plants?

posted by jeffmshaw to Home & Garden (3 answers total)

English Ivy is highly shade tolerant. Chances are if it won't grow under your deck, nothing else will either. You can cover the bank with jute cloth and mulch; they will help prevent fast surface water flow that washes away soil.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:52 AM on November 5, 2008

You may have to fall back on something like moss, which I think looks awesome. If that doesn't work, the most common solution I've seen is river stones.
posted by 517 at 12:10 PM on November 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

You can visit the NC Arboretum in Raleigh or contact your County Extension service for advice.
posted by mightshould at 8:03 AM on November 6, 2008