Plants help control soil erosion by covering soil from raindrop impact and anchoring it with roots. The 15 grasses below are examples in a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) South Dakota homeowner guide—not a universal list of the best plants for every slope. Choose species for your local climate, soil, moisture, exposure, and intended use, and check recommendations from your local NRCS office, Extension service, or conservation district.
What plants help prevent soil erosion?
Established vegetation protects soil in two ways: roots hold soil in place, while leaves, needles, and stems intercept raindrops and cover bare ground. Plant organic matter can also improve infiltration. NRCS identifies grasses that spread by rhizomes (underground stems), stolons (aboveground runners), or tillers (branches) as prime candidates for erosion-control ground cover. Bunchgrasses do not spread in the same way, so a grass name alone does not tell you how quickly or continuously it will cover a site.
The following examples come from NRCS’s Healthy Soil at Home, a South Dakota homeowner guide. Treat them as candidates to investigate, not as a national prescription or a ranking of effectiveness.
- Western wheatgrass
- Thickspike wheatgrass
- Streambank wheatgrass
- Green needlegrass
- Sheep fescue
- Blue grama
- Buffalograss
- Sideoats grama
- Big bluestem
- Sand bluestem
- Switchgrass
- Indiangrass
- Prairie sandreed
- Little bluestem
- Prairie cordgrass
The guide distinguishes prairie and lawn grasses from landscape accents and includes regional prairie mixtures. It does not establish that every listed grass spreads aggressively or is suitable for a steep slope. No general comparative erosion-reduction figures or species ranking are provided.
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How to choose the right plants for an erosion-prone site
Start with the site and the job the planting needs to do. The NRCS National Agronomy Manual advises selecting plants according to factors including soil drainage and texture, organic matter, density, pH, nutrients, exposure, aspect, temperature zone, and hardiness. Native or locally adapted plants may be useful, but “native” by itself does not guarantee a match. Avoid known invasive plants and seed containing noxious weeds.
- Climate and seed source: Look for species and seed sources adapted to your region; consider hardiness where it is relevant.
- Soil and water: Match plants to soil texture and drainage, moisture or saturation, sun and exposure, and any flooding the site experiences.
- Growth habit and cover: Check whether the grass spreads by rhizomes, stolons, or tillers, or forms clumps. Consider establishment speed and lasting cover rather than assuming all grasses behave alike.
- Purpose: An ordinary residential slope, streambank, farm contour strip, and runoff filter strip call for different planting designs.
- Establishment and maintenance: Plan for weed control and establishment watering, and confirm seed purity and suitability before buying.
What are the best plants for erosion control on a slope?
There is no single best plant for every slope. For a typical landscape slope, choose a locally suitable mix that can establish in the site’s soil and moisture conditions and provide the kind of ground cover the slope needs. A spreading grass may help fill gaps, while a bunchgrass may remain in clumps; a mix may be appropriate, but its species and proportions should be based on local guidance rather than a generic recipe.
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For steep or critical slopes, planting alone may not provide immediate protection. NRCS says seeding slopes steeper than 60 percent is difficult and often ineffective for permanent vegetation; critical steep slopes may require erosion-control blankets or hydroseeding with tackifier. Get site-specific advice before relying on seed for a slope that is actively eroding or difficult to access.
When the site needs more than a grass planting
Streambanks and shorelines
For water edges, NRCS describes a riparian forest buffer as trees and/or shrubs placed next to a water body, with enough width and position upslope for the intended purpose. The agency gives a usual corridor width of 15 to 100 feet; that is design guidance, not a universal residential requirement. Species must suit the soil and climate, tolerate flooding where needed, and develop roots and crowns that occupy the site. See NRCS’s Riparian Forest Buffer guidance.
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Farm slopes and runoff paths
Contour buffer strips are conservation practices: closely spaced tree or shrub rows run across a slope, typically with herbaceous vegetation uphill. They are intended to reduce sheet and rill erosion, increase sediment deposition, and convey excess water at a controlled grade. Filter strips are planted downslope from sediment or pollutant sources; vegetation helps remove material through filtration, deposition, infiltration, or plant uptake. These are designed systems, not interchangeable ornamental borders. NRCS explains both in its guidance on Contour Buffer Strips and Filter Strip.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Establishing vegetation without leaving bare soil unprotected
Seed needs time to germinate and establish, and soil can keep eroding during that period. In post-fire guidance, NRCS says full benefits from seeding may take six months to a year and recommends pairing seeding with mulch or other measures for immediate protection. That timing applies to the post-fire context; it is not a general establishment timetable for every location or planting.
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- Choose timing locally: NRCS post-fire guidance describes late fall or late winter as usual seeding windows in that context, with trees or shrubs planted in early spring while dormant. Use local advice for other settings and species.
- Plan for early care: A homeowner drainage guide hosted by NRCS stresses initial weeding and irrigation during the first couple of months; drought may require more watering.
- Buy suitable seed: NRCS recommends certified seed of a known variety and advises landowners to ask local NRCS, Extension, or conservation-district offices about species, varieties, and seeding rates. For a small area, the agency says a hand-crank broadcast seeder may be used.
- Expect different establishment rates: Native perennial grasses and forbs may establish more slowly than introduced species but can provide long-term cover. In post-fire reseeding, NRCS identifies slender wheatgrass as a short-lived native that establishes quickly and later gives way to other native plants.
- Protect ecological fit: The NRCS-hosted A Homeowner’s Guide to Sustainable Home Drainage warns against invasive plants such as periwinkle or certain ivies.
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