By the HMNDP Editorial Team, independent reporting on lawn care, landscaping, and the green industry.
Last reviewed: June 2026
The 21 best plants good for erosion control, sorted by your site
The best plants good for erosion control are the ones whose roots match your specific problem: deep taproots and woody shrubs for steep slopes, rhizomatous grasses and sedges for streambanks, water-tolerant natives for drainage swales, and shade-tolerant groundcovers for north-facing banks. Roots hold soil, not leaves. Pick by root structure and site, then plant densely while roots establish.
Most lists rank plants by how pretty they are. That misranks the entire category. A creeping phlox mat is beautiful and useless against a 2:1 streambank scour. Below, the 21 picks are grouped by the five erosion sites homeowners actually face, with rooting depth and root type for each, because root architecture is the mechanism that controls erosion. For the broader picture of why soil moves, see our primer on what erosion is and how it works.
Why root structure controls erosion (read this before you buy anything)
Roots control erosion through two mechanisms: deep roots anchor the slope against mass movement (slumping), and dense fibrous roots near the surface bind topsoil against sheet and rill erosion from rain. You need both. A plant with showy flowers and shallow roots stops splash erosion but will slide off a steep bank in one wet spring.
Three root types matter. Fibrous roots (most grasses) form a dense mat in the top 6 to 18 inches and excel at holding surface soil. Taproots (many shrubs, some legumes) drive 2 to 15 feet down and anchor against deep failure. Rhizomatous roots (running grasses, sedges, many groundcovers) spread laterally and knit a continuous net across a slope, which is why they colonize bare ground fast.
Match the root type to the failure mode. Surface washing on a gentle bank calls for fibrous mats. A steep, tall slope at risk of sliding needs taprooted shrubs plus fibrous cover between them. Streambanks need rhizomatous spreaders that tolerate inundation. The plant categories below map onto this directly.
Groundcovers vs. shrubs vs. grasses: pick the category first
Groundcovers spread fast and cover bare soil within one or two seasons but root shallow (6 to 18 inches), so they suit gentle to moderate slopes. Shrubs root deep (2 to 15 feet) and anchor steep banks but take longer to fill in. Grasses and sedges combine dense fibrous mats with rhizomes and handle the widest range, from dry slopes to wet swales. Most successful slopes use two categories together.
| Category | Typical root depth | Root type | Fill-in speed | Best slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groundcovers | 6 to 18 in | Fibrous / rhizomatous | Fast (1 to 2 yrs) | Gentle to moderate (4:1 to 2:1) |
| Grasses / sedges | 1 to 8 ft | Fibrous + rhizomatous | Moderate | Moderate to steep, plus wet swales |
| Shrubs | 2 to 15 ft | Taproot / woody lateral | Slow (2 to 4 yrs) | Steep, tall banks (2:1 and steeper) |
Best plants for a steep slope or hillside (2:1 grade and steeper)
For steep slopes, choose deep-rooted woody shrubs and tough groundcovers that anchor against sliding while filling the surface. The strongest picks are creeping juniper, fragrant sumac, bearberry, daylily, and creeping phlox on the gentler shoulders. Combine a taprooted or woody-lateral shrub layer with a dense groundcover between plants, and install erosion-control fabric until roots take over.
| # | Plant | Type | Root depth / type | USDA zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) | Evergreen shrub | To 3 ft, woody lateral | 3 to 9 |
| 2 | Fragrant sumac ‘Gro-Low’ (Rhus aromatica) | Native shrub | To 10 ft, deep + suckering | 3 to 9 |
| 3 | Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) | Native evergreen groundcover | To 2 ft, rooting stems | 2 to 6 |
| 4 | Daylily (Hemerocallis) | Perennial | To 2 ft, fleshy fibrous mat | 3 to 9 |
| 5 | Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) | Flowering groundcover | 6 to 12 in, fibrous | 3 to 9 |
Creeping juniper is the workhorse evergreen for sunny banks. Cultivars like ‘Blue Rug’ and ‘Bar Harbor’ spread 6 to 8 feet wide, hold soil year-round, and tolerate poor, dry ground. Fragrant sumac suckers from the roots to form a self-knitting colony, which is exactly the behavior you want on a slope that keeps sliding.
Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) deserves its popularity for a gentler reason. It blankets a slope in pink, purple, or white bloom each spring and roots from the stems as it spreads, but its 6-to-12-inch fibrous roots only stop surface washing. Use it on the shoulders and gentler sections, not the steepest face, and pair it with deeper-rooted shrubs.
Best plants for a streambank, pond edge, or riparian zone
Streambanks and pond edges fail by scour, where moving water undercuts the toe. The fix is rhizomatous, water-tolerant natives that knit a continuous root net and tolerate periodic flooding: switchgrass, red-osier dogwood, blue flag iris, soft rush, and buttonbush. Plant the wettest-tolerant species at the waterline and grade up to drier species at the top of the bank.
| # | Plant | Type | Root depth / type | USDA zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) | Native warm-season grass | 5 to 10 ft, deep fibrous + rhizome | 3 to 9 |
| 7 | Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) | Native shrub | To 5 ft, suckering lateral | 2 to 7 |
| 8 | Blue flag iris (Iris versicolor) | Native perennial | To 1 ft, dense rhizome | 3 to 9 |
| 9 | Soft rush (Juncus effusus) | Native rush | To 1.5 ft, rhizomatous clump | 4 to 9 |
| 10 | Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) | Native shrub | To 4 ft, fibrous + lateral | 5 to 9 |
Switchgrass is the standout for any wet-to-dry transition. Its roots routinely reach 5 to 10 feet, deeper than almost any other herbaceous plant on this list, and it tolerates both flooding and drought. Red-osier dogwood adds the woody anchor and can be installed as live stakes (dormant cuttings pushed into the bank), a low-cost bank-stabilization technique used by many conservation districts.
Best plants for a drainage swale or low wet area
Drainage swales carry runoff and stay wet, so they need plants that tolerate standing water, slow flow, and trap sediment. The best are sedges, switchgrass, Joe Pye weed, and swamp milkweed: clumping or rhizomatous species that root into saturated soil and stand back up after a storm. These double as the backbone of a rain garden.
| # | Plant | Type | Root depth / type | USDA zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Tussock / Pennsylvania sedge (Carex spp.) | Native sedge | 1 to 2 ft, dense fibrous mat | 3 to 8 |
| 12 | Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) | Native perennial | To 3 ft, fibrous | 4 to 9 |
| 13 | Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) | Native perennial | To 2 ft, fibrous + taproot | 3 to 6 |
Sedges (Carex) are the quiet champions here. Many species form near-continuous fibrous mats that filter sediment and tolerate weeks of saturation, then dry spells. They read like ornamental grass but fit drainage areas where true grasses rot. For an engineered swale, pair sedges with a layer of erosion-control fabric across the channel bottom until they fill in.
Best plants for a shaded bank (north-facing or under trees)
Shaded banks defeat sun-loving groundcovers and lawn, so they need shade-tolerant spreaders with binding roots: native ferns, wild ginger, foamflower, and creeping phlox’s woodland cousin, woodland phlox. These fill in under tree canopy and on north-facing slopes where most lists offer only invasive English ivy or vinca.
| # | Plant | Type | Root depth / type | USDA zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) | Native fern | To 1.5 ft, aggressive rhizome | 3 to 8 |
| 15 | Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) | Native evergreen fern | To 1 ft, fibrous clump | 3 to 9 |
| 16 | Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) | Native groundcover | To 8 in, shallow rhizome | 3 to 8 |
| 17 | Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) | Native groundcover | To 8 in, rhizomatous | 3 to 9 |
Hay-scented fern spreads by rhizomes into a dense colony that holds shaded soil better than almost any ornamental, and it tolerates dry shade where little else competes. Christmas fern stays green through winter, which matters because bare soil erodes most in the dormant season. Both are the native answer to the English ivy problem covered below.
Best low-maintenance and sandy / coastal picks
For low maintenance, choose plants that need no mowing, little water once established, and no replanting: junipers, switchgrass, daylily, aronia, and beach-tolerant natives. On sandy or coastal sites, beachgrass and bayberry handle salt and shifting sand that kill most plants. These set-and-forget species suit homeowners who want erosion control, not a hobby.
| # | Plant | Type | Root depth / type | USDA zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) | Native shrub | To 6 ft, suckering lateral | 3 to 8 |
| 19 | Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) | Native bunchgrass | 5 to 8 ft, deep fibrous | 3 to 9 |
| 20 | American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata) | Native dune grass | To 6 ft, rhizome | 4 to 7 |
| 21 | Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) | Native salt-tolerant shrub | To 4 ft, suckering | 3 to 7 |
Aronia (black chokeberry) suckers to form a colony, fixes nitrogen-poor ground, feeds birds, and needs almost no care once rooted, which is why bank-stabilization plantings favor it. American beachgrass is the standard dune-builder along the US Atlantic coast: its rhizomes trap blowing sand and grow upward as the dune rises.
Invasive species to avoid, and the native swap for each
Several plants sold for slopes are invasive in much of North America and illegal to sell in some states. English ivy, periwinkle (vinca), Japanese honeysuckle, and crown vetch all escape into woodlands and smother natives. They control erosion, but they also damage ecosystems and may violate state noxious-weed lists. Swap each for a native that does the same job.
| Avoid (invasive) | Where it is a problem | Native swap |
|---|---|---|
| English ivy (Hedera helix) | Banned/listed: OR, WA; invasive across Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Pacific NW | Bearberry, wild ginger, hay-scented fern |
| Periwinkle / vinca (Vinca minor, V. major) | Invasive in Eastern US woodlands; flagged by many state extensions | Foamflower, creeping phlox, Pennsylvania sedge |
| Crown vetch (Securigera varia) | Invasive across the Midwest and Northeast | Little bluestem, switchgrass |
| Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) | Invasive Southeast and Mid-Atlantic | Fragrant sumac, red-osier dogwood |
Vinca (periwinkle) appears on nearly every commercial slope list as a fast, shade-tolerant spreader, and it is. The same vigor that fills a bank lets it invade adjacent forest, which is why North Carolina State Extension and many others flag it. If you want its look and shade tolerance without the ecological cost, foamflower and Pennsylvania sedge do the job. Always check your state’s noxious-weed list before planting; rules vary by state and county.
How to plant and hold a slope until the roots take over
The slope fails during establishment, in the gap between planting and full root development. To hold soil during that window: install erosion-control fabric, plant on contour at high density, mulch, and water consistently for the first season. Roots, not plants, do the long-term work, so your only job early is to keep the soil from washing before they grow.
- Grade and clear loosely. Remove invasive growth and large debris, but avoid stripping the slope bare longer than necessary. Bare soil erodes fastest.
- Lay erosion-control blanket or jute netting. On slopes steeper than 3:1, roll biodegradable blanket down the fall line, anchor with staples every 12 to 18 inches, and plant through slits. See our guide to choosing an erosion-control blanket for material and slope ratings.
- Plant on contour, at density. Set plants in staggered rows across the slope, not up and down it, so each row catches runoff. Space groundcovers 12 to 18 inches apart and shrubs 3 to 5 feet apart so they knit closed within two seasons.
- Build small terraces or pockets on steep faces. A shallow inward-tilted pocket behind each plant traps water at the roots instead of letting it sheet downhill.
- Mulch between plants. A 2-to-3-inch layer of shredded bark or straw shields bare soil and holds moisture while roots fill in. Avoid loose mulch on slopes over 2:1, where it washes; use blanket instead.
- Water deeply through the first growing season. Deep, infrequent watering drives roots downward, which is the entire point. Drought-stress in year one is the most common cause of failure.
Match your method to the grade. A gentle 4:1 bank may need only mulch and dense planting. A 2:1 or steeper slope needs blanket or netting plus terracing, because plants alone cannot hold it during the first wet season. For the full range of structural and vegetative options, see our overview of erosion control methods, and browse more soil and slope guidance in the HMNDP Learn library.
Frequently Asked Questions
What plants are best for erosion control on a steep slope?
On steep slopes (2:1 grade or steeper), use deep-rooted woody shrubs with fibrous groundcover between them. Creeping juniper, fragrant sumac, and bearberry anchor the bank, while creeping phlox and daylily hold the surface. Plant through erosion-control blanket and space densely, because on steep grades the plants cannot hold soil alone until roots establish over two seasons.
What are the best deep-rooted plants for stopping erosion, and how deep do their roots go?
The deepest-rooted erosion plants are native prairie grasses and suckering shrubs. Switchgrass and little bluestem send fibrous roots 5 to 10 feet down. Fragrant sumac and aronia reach 6 to 10 feet through suckering laterals. Daylily and creeping juniper root 2 to 3 feet. Deep roots anchor against slumping; pair them with dense surface mats for full protection.
What is the fastest-growing ground cover for slopes and hillsides?
Creeping juniper, creeping phlox, and daylily fill a sunny slope within one to two seasons, and bearberry spreads fast in poor soil. Vinca and English ivy grow faster but are invasive across much of North America and should be avoided. For quick native cover, hay-scented fern and Pennsylvania sedge colonize shaded banks rapidly through rhizomes.
Which erosion-control plants are native vs. invasive, and which should I avoid?
Avoid English ivy, periwinkle (vinca), crown vetch, and Japanese honeysuckle: all are invasive across much of the US and listed as noxious in some states. Native substitutes do the same job: bearberry and ferns for ivy, foamflower and sedge for vinca, little bluestem for crown vetch, fragrant sumac for honeysuckle. Always check your state noxious-weed list first.
What plants stop erosion near a creek, pond, or drainage area?
Near water, use rhizomatous, flood-tolerant natives that knit a continuous root net. Switchgrass, red-osier dogwood, blue flag iris, soft rush, and buttonbush stabilize streambanks and pond edges. For drainage swales, sedges, Joe Pye weed, and swamp milkweed tolerate standing water. Plant the most water-tolerant species at the waterline and drier species up the bank.
Are creeping juniper, creeping phlox, or vinca better for a slope?
Creeping juniper is best overall: evergreen, drought-tough, and rooted to 3 feet on sunny slopes. Creeping phlox suits gentle banks and gives spring bloom but roots only 6 to 12 inches, so it stops surface washing only. Vinca spreads fastest but is invasive in much of North America; choose foamflower or sedge instead for similar shade-tolerant cover.
How do I plant and hold a slope until the plants take root?
Lay biodegradable erosion-control blanket or jute netting on slopes steeper than 3:1, anchored every 12 to 18 inches. Plant through it on contour in staggered rows, spacing groundcovers 12 to 18 inches apart. Mulch between plants, build small water-catching pockets behind each, and water deeply through the first season to drive roots downward before the next wet spell.
What is the best low-maintenance erosion control plant for shade?
Hay-scented fern and Christmas fern are the best low-maintenance shade options. Both are native, spread to cover shaded north-facing banks, and need no mowing or replanting once established. Christmas fern stays evergreen, holding soil through winter when bare ground erodes most. Wild ginger and foamflower work for smaller shaded areas and replace invasive vinca.