Plants suitable for Bank Stabilization
| Note: Heights are approximate and can vary widely according to climate and care. | |||
| Whether you have a moderate slope or a steep bank, some form of stabilisation of the soil must take place to prevent erosion by wind or water and increase the absorption of water. The best strategy is to use a variety of plants that root at different depths, to encourage a dense web of roots to hold your soil. Mixed vegetation will absorb rainfall energy and prevent soil compaction, while the roots physically bind soil particles which improves soil structure. Foliage from above slows the speed of run-off thereby reducing erosion and increasing absorption. | |||
| Other benefits of using a variety of plant forms: | |||
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- introduction, restoration and conservation of soil nutrients - prevention of the establishment of invasive weeds - creation of a habitat for wildlife - improved aesthetics |
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| Erosion-prone terrain is often harsh and plants must be tolerant of extremes such as flooding and drought. For this reason it makes sense to plant indigenous plants from the immediate area in which you live. | |||
| Grasses often rank high for erosion control because of their spreading mat-like roots that hold soil very well. (The list below does not contain many species and expert opinion should be sought for guidance on the best indigenous grasses to use for your area and needs.) | |||
| Shrubs and perennial ground covers protect soil from wind, sun and downpours. | |||
| Trees can be used for larger banks and windbreaks.They will provide shade for other plants and the leaves they shed will add mulch and nutrients to the soil. | |||
| Key for height: | |||
| VS: Very small | Key for position: | ||
| S: Small | FS: Full sun | ||
| M: Medium | SS: Some Sun, Some Shade | ||
| L: Large | MS: Mostly Shade | ||
| VL Very Large | |||
| TREES | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Brachylaena discolor | Coastal silver-oak | S | FS/SS/MS |
| Brachylaena elliptica | Bitter-leaf silver-oak | S | FS/SS/MS |
| Buddleja saligna | False olive | M | FS |
| Ficus burtt-davyi | Scrambling Fig | S | FS/SS |
| Maytenus procumbens | Dune koko-tree | S | FS/SS/MS |
| Olea europaea subsp. Africana | Wild olive | S | FS |
| Portulacaria afra | Spekboom | VS | FS/SS |
| SHRUBS | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Athanasia parviflora | Coulter bush | M | FS |
| Barleria obtusa | Forest violet | S | FS/SS |
| Barleria repens | Small bush violet | S | FS/SS |
| Buddleja salviifolia | Sagewood | L | FS |
| Chrysanthemoides incana | Bietou | M | FS/SS |
| Chrysanthemoides monilifera | Bush tick berry | M | FS/SS |
| Cineraria geifolia | Cineraria | S | FS/SS |
| Cineraria saxifraga | Wild cineraria | S | FS/SS |
| Cliffortia ferruginea | Glastee | M | FS/SS |
| Cliffortia odorata | Wildewingerd | M | FS/SS |
| Didelta carnosa var. tomentosa | xxx | S | FS |
| Eriocephalus africanus | Wild sage | S | FS |
| Euryops pectinatus | Golden Euryops | S/M | FS |
| Euryops virgineus | Honey euryops | M | FS |
| Felicia species | Felicia, blue daisy | S | FS |
| Hermannia species | Doll's roses | VS/S | FS |
| Hypoestes aristata | Ribbon bush | S | FS/SS |
| Jasminum multipartitum hybrid | Wild Jasmin – Bush form | S/M | FS/SS |
| Leonotis leonurus | Lion's ear | M | FS |
| Leonotis ocymifolia | Minaret flower | M | FS |
| Metalasia muricata | White bristle bush | L | FS |
| Morella cordifolia | Dune waxberry | M | FS/SS |
| Oftia africana | Lazy bush | S | FS |
| Passerina corymbosa | Gonna bush | L/VL | FS/SS |
| Passerina ericoides | Christmas berry | M | FS/SS |
| Passerina filiformis | Bakkerbos | M/L | FS/SS |
| Pelargonium varieties | Pelargonium | S/M/L | FS/SS |
| Plectranthus varieties | Plectranthus | VS/S/M | SS/MS |
| Plumbago auriculata | Plumbago | M/L | FS/SS |
| Podalyria calyptrata | Sweetpea bush | S/M | FS |
| Polygala fruticosa | Butterfly bush | S/M | FS |
| Polygala myrtifolia | September bush | S/M | FS |
| Salvia africana-lutea | Beach sage | M | FS |
| Salvia chamelaeagnea | Rough blue sage | M | FS |
| Searsia crenata | Dune Crowberry | L | FS/SS |
| Selago corymbosa | Bitterblombos | S/M | FS/SS |
| Selago thunbergii | Selago | S/M | FS/SS |
| Sutherlandia frutescens | Cancer bush | M | FS |
| Tarchonanthus camphoratus | Camphor bush | L | FS/SS |
| Tetragonia fruticosa | Kinkelbossie | S | FS/SS |
| GROUND COVERS AND PERENNIALS | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Aizoon glinoides | VS | FS/SS | |
| Arctotis stoechadifolia | Arctotis | M | FS |
| Arctotis varieties | |||
| Chlorophytum comosum varieties | Hen and chickens | S | SS |
| Dymondia margaretae | VZ | FS | |
| Gazania varieties | Gazania | M | FS |
| Geranium incanum | Carpet geranium | M | FS/SS |
| Helichrysum crispum | Kooigoed | M | FS |
| Helichrysum petiolare | Kooigoed | M | FS |
| Hypoestes aistata | Ribbon bush | L | SS |
| Jasminum varieties | Wild jasmine | M | FS/SS |
| Justicia capensis | Businessmans bush | S | SS |
| Monsonia emarginata | Dysentry herb | S | FS/SS |
| Osteospermum varieties | Osterspermum | M | FS/SS |
| Pelargonium varieties | Pelargonium | S/M/L | FS/SS |
| Plectranthus varieties | Plectranthus | S/M/L | SS/MS |
| Portulacaria afra 'Prostrate' | Dwarf spekboom | S | FS/SS |
| Scabiosa varieties | Scabious | M/L | FS/SS |
| BULBS / CORMS / RHIZOMES / TUBERS / EPIGEAL BULBS | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Agapanthus species | Agapanthus | S-L | FS/SS |
| Albuca species | Albuca | S/M/L | FS |
| Chlorophytum comosum | Hen and chickens | S/M | SS/MS |
| Crocosmia aurea | Falling stars | M | SS |
| Dietes bicolor | Yellow wild iris | L | FS/SS |
| Dietes grandiflora | Large wild Iris | L | FS/SS |
| Dietes iridioides | Cape iris | L | FS/SS |
| Hypoxis species | Yellow stars, African potato | S-M | FS/SS |
| Strelitzia reginae | Strelitzia | L/VL | FS/SS |
| Tulbaghia fragrans | Scented wild garlic | M | FS |
| Tulbaghia violacea | Wild garlic | S | FS |
| Tulbaghia violacea 'Silver Lace' | Wild garlic | S | FS |
| Wachendorfia thyrsiflora | Bloodroot | VL | FS |
| Watsonia varieties | Watsonia | M | FS |
| SUCCULENTS | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Aizoaceae: vygie family | |||
| Aptenia cordifolia | Baby sun rose, Brakvygie | S | FS/SS |
| Acrodon species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Antimina species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Bergaranthus species | Bergaranthus | VS | FS |
| Carpobrotus species | Sour fig | S-M | FS |
| Conophytum species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Delosperma species | Ice plant | S-M | FS |
| Disphyma species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Dorotheanthus species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Drosanthemum species | Ice plant | S-M | FS |
| Gibbaeum species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Glottiphylum species | Tongue plant | S-M | FS |
| Lampranthus species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Malephora species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Mesembryanthemum species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Oscularia species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Ruschia bina | Vygie sp. | S | FS |
| Ruschia maxima | Giant mountain vygie | M/L | FS |
| Ruschia species | Vygie | S-M | FS |
| Tetragonia decumbens | Klappiesbrak | S | FS |
| Tetragonia fruticosa | Kinkelbossie | S | FS |
| Asphodelaceae: aloe family | |||
| Aloe africana | Uitenhage Aloe | VL | FS |
| Aloe ferox | Bitter aloe | VL | FS |
| Aloe maculata | Soap aloe | M | FS |
| Aloe striata | Coral aloe | M | FS |
| Aloe tenuior | Fence aloe | M | FS |
| And many more | |||
| Bulbine species | |||
| Bulbine abbysinica | Cat's tail | M | FS |
| Bulbine altissima | Bushy bulbine | M | FS |
| Bulbine frutescens | Rooiwortel | M | FS |
| Bulbine narcissifolia | Snake flower | M | FS |
| Bulbine natalensis | Geelkatstert | M | FS/SS/MS |
| Cotyledon species | |||
| Cotyledon campanulata | Vingerplakkie | S-M | FS |
| Cotyledon orbiculata varieties | Pig's ear | S-M | FS |
| Cotyledon velutina | S-M | FS | |
| Crassula species | |||
| Crassula lanceolata | VS | FS/SS | |
| Crassula multicava | Fairy crassula | S | FS/SS |
| Crassula pellucida | S-M | FS/SS | |
| Crassula pellucida ssp. Brachypetala | S-M | FS/SS | |
| Crassula pellucida ssp. Marginalis | S-M | FS/SS | |
| Crassula spatulata | S | SS/MS | |
| Crassula streyi | Pondoland crassula | S | SS/MS |
| Senecio species | |||
| Senecio radicans | Baboon toes | VS | FS/SS |
| Senecio serpens | Small blue chalk sticks | VS | FS |
| Senecio talinoides | Blue chalk sticks | M-L | FS |
| Senecio crassulaeformis | VS | FS | |
| Miscellaneous succulents | |||
| Drimiopsis maculata | Little white soldiers | VS-S | SS/MS |
| Othonna capensis | S | FS/SS | |
| Peperomia blanda | Large wild peperomia | S-M | SS |
| Portulacaria afra 'Prostrate' | X 'Green Carpet' | S | FS/SS |
| CLIMBERS AND CREEPERS | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Asystasia gangetica | creeping foxglove | S/M | SS/MS |
| Carissa macrocarpa | Hybrid 'Green Carpet' | S | FS/SS |
| Chaetacanthus setiger | S | FS/SS | |
| Dipogon lignosus | Cape sweet pea | VS/S | FS/SS |
| Falkia repens | Oortjies | VS | FS/SS |
| Jasmine multipartitum | Wild jasmine | M | FS/SS |
| Pelargonium peltatum | Ivy-leaved pelargonium | S/M | FS/SS |
| Senecio macroglossus | Cape ivy | M | SS/MS |
| Senecio quinquelobus | M/L | SS/MS | |
| Senecio talinoides | L/VL | FS/SS | |
| Senecio tamoides | Canary creeper | L/VL | SS/MS |
| Tecoma capensis | Cape honeysuckle | L | FS/SS |
| Thunbergia alata | Black-eyed Susan | M | FS/SS |
| FERNS | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Asparagus africanus | African asparagus | M – L | SS |
| Asparagus asparagoides | Smilax | M – L | SS |
| Asparagus densiflorus 'Mazeppa' | Asparagus fern | M – L | SS |
| Asparagus densiflorus 'Meyersii' | Foxtail fern | M – L | SS |
| Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengerii' | Basket asparagus | M – L | SS |
| Asparagus macowanii | Asparagus fern | S/M | FS/SS |
| Asparagus setaceus | Lace or feathery fern | M – L | SS |
| Asparagus virgatus | Asparagus fern | S/M | FS/SS |
| Rumohra adiantiformis | Seven-weeks-fern | M – L | SS |
| Selaginella kraussiana | African clubmoss | S | SS/MS |
| RESTIOS, CYPERUS, GRASS | |||
| Botanical name | Common name | Height | Position |
| Cyperus albostriatus | Forest star sedge | M | FS/SS |
| Cyperus albostriatus 'Variegated' | Forest star sedge | M | FS/SS |
| Cyperus prolifer | Miniature papyrus | L – VL | FS |
| Elegia cuspidata | Blombesie | M – VL | FS |
| Elegia stipularis | Cushion restio | M – VL | FS |
| Ficinia dunensis | VS – S | FS | |
| Ischyrolepis sieberi | L – VL | FS | |
| Restio festuciformis | Groengasriet | M | FS |
| Thamnochortus cinereus | Silver reed | L – VL | FS |
| Thamnochortus lucens | S – L | FS | |
| Thamnochortus nutans | Jakkelsstertriet | L | FS |
| Thamnochortus pellucidus | Dwarf restio | L | FS |
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