
SOIL STABILIZATION & RANGELAND SEEDING
ITEM |
COMMENTS |
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GRASSES |
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Alkaligrass Puccinella distans | Variety: Fults, often used for turf. | . | |||||||||||
Barley Hordeum vulgare | Winter annual. Cereal grain. Grows fast. Does not reseed. | . | |||||||||||
Barley, Meadow Hordeum brachyantherum | Fast Growing. Ideal nurse crop for long-lived native grasses. Short-lived. | . |
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Blue Gramma Bouteloua gracilis | Ornamental densely tufted, stoloniferous. Long-lived. | . |
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Bluegrass, Big Poa ampla | Variety: Rubens, high elevati.on, low fertility | . | |||||||||||
Bluegrass, Canada Poa compressa | Shade tolerant, low growing. Roadsides, recreation areas. | . | |||||||||||
Blue Wildrye Elymus glaucus | Fast growing, good for site stabilization. Adapted to shady, woodland, forest environments.Short-lived. | . |
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Buffalo Grass Buchaloe dactyloides | Best on clay soils, also used for turf. Native to Great Plains. | . | . | ||||||||||
Brome, Blando Bromus mollis | Quick erosion control, annual, reseeds, below 4000’ also called Soft Chess. | . | . | ||||||||||
Brome, Red Bromus rubens | Good for soil stabilization. Annual. Reseeds. | . | . | ||||||||||
Brome, Smooth Bromis inermis | Variety: Manchar, easy to establish, high elevation, good soil stabilizer. | . | . | ||||||||||
Fescue, California Festuca californica | Tall, ornamental. Tolerant of shape and serpintine soils. Long-lived. | . |
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Fescue, California Red Native Festuca rubra ‘molate’ | Attractive fine bladed rhizomatous grass. Can be mown. Long-lived, California Native cultivar ‘Molate Blue’. | . |
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Fescue, Idaho Festuca idahoensis | Ornamental, fine bladed. Summer dormant. Native to Western U.S. | . |
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Fescue, Hard Festuca longifolia | Varieties: Reliant, Atilla, Waldina. Hot areas require irrigation; fine texture, shade. | . | . | ||||||||||
Fescue, Sheep Festuca ovina | Variety: Covar, MX-86, shade tolerant. Use as ground cover, or in wildflower mixtures. | . | . | ||||||||||
Fescue, Zorro (Foxtail) Festuca megalura | Native, annual, reseeds, adapted to much of arid California. Extensive root system. | . |
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Fountain Grass Pennisetum ruppelii | Popular for non-irrigated highway use. Attractive plants. | . | . | ||||||||||
Needlegrass, Purple Nassella pulchra | Fine bladed, tufted. Good on disturbed slopes. | . |
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Needlegrass, Desert Achnatherum speciosum | Densely tufted. Occurring in arid mountain slopes of southeast California. Long-lived. | . |
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Orchardgrass Dactylis glomerata | Varieties: Paiute. Long-lived perennial. | . | . | ||||||||||
Purple Three-Awn Aristida purpurea | Ornamental, tufted bunchgrass with nodding reddish panicles. Easily established from seed. | . |
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Reed Canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea | Best on poor drained soils, cool areas. Forage and erosion control. | . | . | ||||||||||
Sudan Grass Sorghum vulgare | Variety: Piper. Best for hay or pasture. | . | . | ||||||||||
Timothy Pheleum pratense | Cool, moist areas, shade tolerant, higher elevations. Does not tolerate drought or heat. | . | . | ||||||||||
Weeping Lovegrass Eragrostis curvula | Establishes rapidly, short lived, lacks winter hardiness. | . | . | ||||||||||
Wimmera Ryegrass Lolium rigidum | Reseeding annual, adapted to heavy soils. Earlier maturing. | . | . | ||||||||||
Wheatgrass, Crested Agropyron cristatum | Varieties: Fairway, Nordan, also used for turf. Easily established. | . | . | ||||||||||
Wheatgrass, Intermediate Agropyron intermedium | Variety: Tegmar, lower growing; Oahe, shade tolerant. | . | . | ||||||||||
Wheatgrass, Pubescent Agropyron trichophorum | Varieties: Luna, Topar, similar to intermediate. Good erosion control. Late maturing. | . | . | ||||||||||
Wheatgrass, Slender Agropyron trachycaulum | Tall, fast growing. Good for site stabilization, short-lived. | . |
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Wheatgrass, Streambank Agropyron riparium | Shade tolerant, low growing. Roadsides, recreation areas. | . | . | ||||||||||
Wheatgrass, Tall Agropyron elongatum | Abundant forage, poorly drained soils. | . | |||||||||||
LEGUMES |
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Alfalfa Medicago sativa | Hay pasture or erosion control, deep rooted. Easily established. | . | |||||||||||
Birdsfoot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus | Wet & poorly drained sites, hay, pasture or erosion control. Long-lived, deep rooted, yellow flowers. |
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Clover, Alsike Trifolium hybridum | Shade tolerant, cool, moist sites. | . | |||||||||||
Clover, Crimson Trifolium incarnatum | Best along coast. Annual. Reseeds. | . | |||||||||||
Clover, Ladino Trifolium repens latum | Variety of white clover with thicker stems and stolons. Large growth form. | . | |||||||||||
Clover, Red Trifolium pratense | Cool, moist sites. | . | |||||||||||
Clover Rose Trifolium hirtum | Variety: Hykon, will grow on very poor sites. Heavy reseeder, slow establishment. Dryland pasture. | . | . | ||||||||||
Clover Strawberry Trifolium fragiferum | Variety: O’Connors, very popular in Southern California for erosion control. Short, creeping, easy to establish. |
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Clover, Subterranean Trifolium subterraneum | Variety: Mt. Barker |
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Clover, White Dutch Trifolium repens | Shallow rooted, cool, moist sites. | . | . | ||||||||||
Clover, Yellow Sweet Melilotus officinalis | Aggressive, shade tolerant. |
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Vetch, Lana Woolypod Vicia dasycarpa | Irrigated or moist sites. Easily established. Self-seeding annual. | . | . | ||||||||||
Vetch, Purple Vica benghalensis | Best near coast, hay & pasture. | . | |||||||||||
KEY: (E) = Excellent, (VG) = Very Good, (G) = Good, (F) = Fair, (P) = Poor, (C) = Clay, (S) = Sandy, (R) = Rocky |
ZONE # |
CLIMATE TYPE |
1 2 3 4 5 |
Southern Coastal and Foothills Interior Valley Desert Northern Coast and Foothills Mountains |