2. PLANTS FOR ALABAMA
Plant Selection and Placement
Plant Traits
Proper Tree Planting
Turfgrasses
Ask the Experts
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PLANT SELECTION AND PLACEMENT
Have you ever bought a plant that looked great at the nursery or garden center, only to have it die once you planted it? One way to avoid this heartbreaking scenario is by putting the right plant in the right place by matching the plant’s needs to the site conditions. This endeavor encompasses far more than simply putting sun-loving plants in your yard’s sunny spots. You also need to consider things like maintenance and water needs.

Wet vs. Dry
Many drought tolerant plants thrive on elevated dry spots or in windy areas, but they can quickly succumb to root diseases and pest problems if you plant them in low-lying areas where water tends to pool after heavy rains. Drought-favoring plants also do well in exposed areas, on berms, and along the unshaded southern or western walls of buildings.

Drought tolerant: describes plants that require less water because they are adapted to regions with frequent drought or to soils with low water-holding capacity.

Position plants adapted to wet soils in low spots or areas with poor drainage. The bottom line when placing plants in your landscape is not to waste time, energy, and money caring for a plant that is not adapted to the spot you have set aside for it.

Made in the Shade
Position trees and shrubs strategically to improve your home’s heating and cooling capacity. Shade trees can reduce air conditioning costs by an estimated 50 percent. Plant deciduous shade trees on the south, east, and west sides of a house to cast shade in the summer and let warming light enter windows in winter.

Deciduous: a plant that sheds all of its leaves at one time each year.

You can also save on energy bills by shading your outdoor air-conditioning unit from direct sun. Be careful not to block the unit’s airflow. If the warm discharge air cannot escape, the intake air temperature rises, causing the unit to operate less efficiently.

Plant Matchmaking
A common landscape “plan” scatters woody plants across an expanse of lawn, with no clear design pattern. While this may look the “norm,” the truth is that turf and woody ornamentals have different water, light, fertilizer, and maintenance needs. A misplaced shrub can disrupt mowing and irrigation patterns. Reduce maintenance and conserve water in the landscape by grouping plants in beds according to water requirements and maintenance needs.

PLANT TRAITS
Choosing plants is the fun part of landscaping. Alabama’s climate supports countless varieties of plants, many of which are grown by local nurseries. The plants you choose determine how much maintenance your yard will require and also how long your landscape will last. For example, fast-growing trees often have a shorter life span than slow-growing trees.

Focus First on Low Maintenance Plants
that are suitable to your site. Once these plants are established in the right location, most require little, if any, supplemental water, fertilizers, or pesticides.

Established: for roots to fully extend into the surrounding soil and become 'established' can take one to two years.

Select Drought-Tolerant Plants
suited to your soil. Alabama’s current drought situation has moved the horticultural focus to plants that can tolerate extended dry conditions. Once these plants are established, your watering chores will be done.

Welcome Wildlife
Provide flowering and fruiting plants and seeds and nuts to bring birds and butterflies into your yard, red tubular flowers for hummingbirds, nectar and larval food for butterflies as Alabama is a stopover for many migrating and wintering butterflies and birds. Design a landscape that caters to these colorful, winged creatures.

Plant for Impact
Limit the number of plants with high water and maintenance requirements, placing them where they will have the greatest visual impact with access to water during drought periods.

Avoid Invasives
Do not plant noxious, invasive species. If these plants are present in your yard, remove them. They crowd out native plants and seriously threaten Alabama’s ecosystems and wildlife.

Aim for Diversity
Create a mosaic of trees, shrubs, groundcovers, native grasses, and wildflowers. Monocultures, large expanses of the same plant species, are prone to disease and insect infestation and aren’t as sustainable as a diverse plant community.

Cope with a Slope
It’s hard to mow grass on sloped or in extremely wet areas, so avoid planting turf where you can’t easily cut it. Use groundcovers on slopes where grass may not thrive but the potential for runoff exists.

Beg Off Quick Fixes
Do not be fooled by the quick-fix appeal of fast-growing plants. Such plants may require frequent pruning, which creates more clippings and yard waste. Also, fast growth yields lots of lush, green shoots which can attract certain pests. Slow-growing plants may take longer to fill in your landscape, but they’ll ultimately last longer and create less work.

Upkeep Tips
Do not overlook maintenance needs when designing your landscape. Place hedges where you can access them easily from all sides or trimming chores will quickly become nightmares.

Soaker Hoses
After you invest your hard-earned cash in plants, count on an inexpensive solution to help establish them in the landscape. Soaker hoses seep or leak water along their length, delivering it to the soil around plantings. Lay the hose on top of the soil, or bury it slightly in soil or mulch. Landscape staple pins work great to hold the hose in place. Use the soaker hose until the plant is established; get new growth from a cutting, then store the hose for future use.

Native Plants
Some Alabama native plants are widely available at local garden centers, and others are becoming more available as demand for them grows. Native does not mean sacrifice. Some of our most beautiful landscape plants are natives and selections are available for improved cultivars with more attractive flowers, colors, or disease resistance.

Native plants: a plant that occurs naturally in a particular region, state, ecosystem, and habitat without direct or indirect human actions.

Want to learn more about native plants suitable for your yard? Try these tips to get started:

  • Visit parks, wildlife preserves, botanical gardens, AYN demonstration landscapes, and nurseries to view native plants. Some plant nurseries specialize in native plants. Link here for a list of nurseries in Alabama and the region that sell native plants.

  • Visit libraries or bookstores (particularly those at botanical gardens) to find good reference books on Alabama native plants. Search the web for information on native plants.

  • Remember: Just because a plant is native does not guarantee its success in your landscape. Always put the right plant in the right place.

PROPER TREE PLANTING
Establishing a tree canopy is a great way to begin creating an eco-friendly yard. Trees not only provide shade and wildlife habitat, but they also help to reduce stormwater runoff while increasing the value of your home. According to the American Forestry Association, trees have other significant monetary benefits. Each year, a single tree provides $73 worth of air conditioning savings, $75 worth of erosion control, $75 worth of wildlife shelter, and $50 worth of air pollution reduction. Compounding this total of $273 annually for 50 years at 5% interest results in a tree value of $57,151. The overall benefits far outweigh the initial cost of each tree. Landscaping is an investment in your home and health.

Before you plant trees put in hardscapes, such as walkways or patios. Trees are a more permanent addition to the landscape so site selection and proper planting techniques are essential. (This section is adapted from Dr. Ed Gilman’s website, Planting Trees in Landscapes (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/planting.html), reprinted with permission.) Plant according to the following sequence:

1. Determine the Mature Size of the Tree
If there are overhead lines or wire, security lights, or a building nearby that could interfere with the tree as it grows, find a new planting site.

2. Dig a Proper Sized Hole
A shallow hole is better than a deep hole. Many people plant trees too deeply. Dig a hole that is 1½ to 3 times the width of the root ball. Use even wider holes for compacted soil and wet sites. Make sure the depth of the hole is slightly LESS than the height of the root ball, especially in compacted or wet soil. If you inadvertently dig the hole too deep, add soil to the bottom of the hole.

Break up compacted soil around a newly planted tree to give emerging roots room to expand into loose soil. This will hasten root growth and encourage establishment. Some trees are particularly sensitive to compacted soil including beech (Fagus sp.), dogwood (Cornus pp.), pine (Pinus sp.), and white oak (Quercus alba).

Establishment: acclimating a new plant to the environmental conditions of the planting site.

3. Find the Point where the Topmost Root Emerges from the Trunk
This point is called trunk flare, root flare, or root crown and should be within two inches of the soil surface. If the topmost root is buried within the rootball, remove enough soil from the top of the rootball so the point where the topmost root emerges from the trunk will be within the top two inches of soil.

Loosen circling roots, especially in the top half of the rootball. Selectively remove small roots that are kinked or circling. If many roots circle the bottom or sides of the rootball, slice the rootball about one inch deep in four places (like at the points of a compass) from top to bottom before planting. This reduces the likelihood of these roots causing problems later. If you cut large roots, the tree might go into shock and die.

To avoid having to slice roots, buy plants that are not rootbound. For plants that are not too large to handle, slip them out of pots at the nursery and inspect the roots. If plants are too heavy to lift, tilt the pot and inspect the roots as much as possible through the drainage holes. Sometimes you will be able to see circling roots through the drainage holes.

4. Slide Tree Carefully into the Planting Hole
To avoid damaging the tree when placing it in the hole, lift it with straps or rope around the rootball, and not by the trunk. Use special strapping mechanisms constructed for carefully lifting trees out of large containers.

5. Position the Trunk Flare
(where the topmost root emerges from the trunk) slightly above the surface of the landscape soil. Most horticulturists agree it is better to plant the tree a little high than to plant it too deep. If the tree is a little too deep, tip it to one side and slide some soil under it; then tip it back the other way and slide more soil under the root ball. Once the tree is at the appropriate depth, place a small amount of soil around the rootball to stabilize it. Soil amendments are usually of no benefit. The soil removed from the hole usually makes the best backfill, unless it is substandard or contaminated.

6. Straighten the Tree in the Hole
Before you begin filling the hole with soil, have someone view the tree from two directions perpendicular to each other to confirm that it is straight. Fill in with some more backfill soil to secure the tree in the upright position. Once you add large amounts of soil, it is difficult to reposition the tree.

7. At Planting Time, Remove All Synthetic Materials
from around the trunk and root ball. This includes string, rope, synthetic burlap, strapping, plastic, and other materials that won’t decompose in the soil.

8. Fill the Planting Hole with Backfill Soil
As you add the soil, slice a shovel down into it twenty to thirty times, all around the tree. Break up clay soil clumps as much as possible. Do NOT step firmly on the backfill soil. This could compact it, restricting root growth, especially in clay soil. When the planting hole is filled with soil, the rootball should rest one inch (small trees) to three inches (larger trees) above the backfill soil.

9. Add 10 to 20 Gallons of Water to the Rootball
Fill any air pockets with soil.

10. Cover the Backfill Soil with Mulch
Apply mulch to a minimum 8-foot diameter circle around the tree, if possible. Do not construct a berm from soil, since this soil could end up over the root ball several months later. Water the mulch well after spreading.

11. Stake the Tree, if Necessary
Staking holds the rootball firmly in the soil. If the tree moves in the wind, the rootball may shift, and emerging roots could break or the plant could fall over. Young trees might require staking until enough trunk strength develops. Remove staking materials after the tree becomes established. If not removed, ties and stakes can girdle a tree, which can kill it.

Berm: a raised earthen area used in the past to catch water and direct it to the root zone.

Girdle: to constrict or destroy the bark in a ring around the trunk or branch of a plant, cutting off flow of nutrients and water through the bark; ultimately the plant dies.

12. Water Trees Frequently so Roots Fully Establish
Light, frequent irrigation fosters the quickest establishment for trees. Following the initial few months of frequent irrigation, water weekly until plants are fully established. At each watering, apply about one to two gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter (i.e., two to four gallons for a two-inch tree). Never water if the rootball is saturated. In Alabama, trees typically require about three months per inch of trunk diameter to become established, but could take longer depending on climate, watering schedule, and species. Water is crucial during the first and second growing season. Fertilizing during the establishment period doesn’t improve survival rates. For more information see Street Trees: Site Selection, Planting, and Maintenance in the Urban Landscape (ANR-0814).

TURFGRASSES
Home lawns are often a focal point in the landscape and can be a real asset to your home. A beautiful lawn enhances the landscape by improving not only the aesthetic and economic value of the home, but by providing many environmental benefits as well. A dense, healthy lawn prevents soil erosion, reduces glare from the sun, helps cool temperatures on hot days, and absorbs many airborne pollutants, like dust.

Perhaps the most important factor in establishing and maintaining an attractive and trouble-free home lawn is selecting the proper turfgrass. Since a home lawn is intended to be a long-term investment, the proper selection of a turfgrass is an important first step.

What Type of Lawn is Desired or Expected?
Having a perfect, dark green, lush lawn that does not need to be mowed, fertilized, or irrigated is a myth. For practical purposes, decide if the lawn is to be a "perennial yard of the month," an average lawn, or just a groundcover to lessen soil erosion and provide soil stability around the home.

What Level of Maintenance will the Lawn be Given?
Most turfgrasses will respond to a range of maintenance levels; however, each turfgrass has a "preferred" maintenance level for optimum results. Levels of maintenance are closely related to how much time and how much money one wants to spend on the lawn. Obviously, a higher level of maintenance will require a higher level of cost.

Are there any Physical or Environmental Limitations to the Site?
A quality lawn may require some irrigation; therefore, water quantity and quality are important lawn selection factors. Can the area be easily mowed on a frequent basis? Is the lawn going to be very shaded? What is the soil type? Is drainage going to be a problem? With answers to these basic questions in mind, use the following information to select the proper turfgrass for your home lawn. (NOTE: some turfgrasses are shade "tolerant." All do better and require less maintenance in full sun and free of competition from adjacent plant roots).

Environmental and soil conditions vary greatly throughout the state of Alabama, and certain turfgrasses grow better under some of these conditions and locations than others do. There are several turfgrass species and cultivars from which to choose. Some turfgrasses can be planted anywhere in the state; others perform best in a certain region.

Turfgrasses can be divided into two categories based on their adaptation: cool-season turfgrasses and warm-season turfgrasses. Cool-season turfgrasses, such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, are best adapted to cooler climates and exhibit optimum growth during the cooler months of fall, winter, and early spring. Tall fescue is the only cool-season turfgrass that is recommended for home lawns in Alabama. Warm-season turfgrasses, such as bahiagrass, bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass, on the other hand, grow best during hot summer months. Most lawns across the state are warm-season turfgrasses.

Even though Alabama is considered to be in the South, temperatures vary enough from the northern to southern parts of the state that some turfgrasses are best suited in certain regions of the state. For example, winter temperature extremes in the northern part of Alabama are too severe for the survival of St. Augustinegrass, and the summer heat in the southern part of the state is too severe for the survival of tall fescue. The simplest method to determine which turfgrass is best adapted to your area is to check the lawns in your neighborhood or surrounding neighborhoods to see which turfgrass survives and looks the best. If you need further assistance in terms of adaptation, refer to the table below to determine the best turfgrass for your region of the state.


1Adaptation: N=north, C=central, S=south
2Sunlight: Full=at least 6 hours of sunlight; Partial=at least 4 hours of sunlight; Shade=at least 2 hours of sunlight
3Maintenance Level: Low = fewer than 2 fertilizations per year; Medium = 2-4 fertilizations per year; High = more than 4 fertilizations per year
4Common bermudagrass types only

TURFGRASSES RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN ALABAMA
The ultimate consideration is simply this: which turfgrass do you consider to be the most appealing, the most beautiful, and the most enjoyable to you? Some may prefer the fine texture; some may want the one with the dark green color. It's your decision! There are six turfgrasses currently recommended for use on home lawns in Alabama: bahiagrass, bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, tall fescue, and zoysiagrass.

BAHIAGRASS
Bahiagrass is normally considered a "pasture" turfgrass; however, it can be used for home lawns. It spreads by both rhizomes (underground stems) and stolons (aboveground stems). Bahiagrass has excellent drought tolerance but forms what is considered to be a low-quality lawn. It is suitable for low-use or utility turfgrass areas such as roadsides. One of the primary reasons bahiagrass is considered by most to be an undesirable lawn is the fact that it produces rather tall seed heads after it is mowed. Seed is available for the two most common varieties, 'Pensacola' and 'Argentine.'

BERMUDAGRASS
Bermudagrass is probably the most common turfgrass used for home lawns in the state. It is a long-lived, perennial, warm-season turfgrass that is adapted across the entire state. Bermudagrasses spread by both rhizomes (underground stems) and stolons (aboveground stems) and therefore are aggressive in their growth habit. There are two types of bermudagrasses available: common bermudagrass and hybrid bermudagrass. Common bermudagrasses can produce viable seed. More improved seeded common bermudagrass varieties are becoming available. Hybrid bermudagrasses are superior to common bermudagrasses as home lawn turfgrasses. 'Tifway' and 'Tifgreen' are two of the most common hybrid bermudagrass cultivars but seed is not available for any of the hybrids.

CENTIPEDEGRASS
Centipedegrass is a slow-growing turfgrass that spreads by stolons (aboveground stems) that resemble centipedes, hence its name. This warm-season turf is adapted for use as a low-maintenance turfgrass and is ideal for someone that wants a fairly attractive lawn that needs little care. Most of the centipedegrass that is sold is of the "common" variety. Improved varieties of centipedegrass are available, including 'Oklawn' and 'AU Centennial.'

ST. AUGUSTINEGRASS
St. Augustinegrass is native to both the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean. It is primarily used for home lawns in the coastal plains area of Alabama. St. Augustinegrass spreads by stolons (aboveground stems) and produces some viable seed; however, most St. Augustinegrass lawns are established by vegetative plantings. St. Augustinegrass has good salt tolerance and handles shade better than any other warm-season turfgrass. There are several cultivars of St. Augustinegrass available, including common, 'Bitterblue,' 'Floratine,' 'Floratam,' 'Floralawn,' 'Jade,' 'Delmar,' 'Raleigh,' 'Gulf Star,' 'Mercedes,' 'Palmetto,' and 'Seville.'

TALL FESCUE
Tall fescue is a cool-season turfgrass that is tough enough to be grown in certain areas of the southeastern United States, including Alabama (Cullman and northward). Tall fescue is a bunch-type turfgrass that spreads by tillers; therefore, it must be established by seeding. The greatest advantage that it has over the warm-season turfgrasses is its ability to grow well in shade and stay green throughout the winter. There are several varieties of tall fescue available, including many new, improved "turf-type" varieties that have finer leaf texture and improved heat and shade tolerance. For best results, use a mixture (blend) of three or four of these new turf-type tall fescues.

ZOYSIAGRASS
Zoysiagrass is native to the Orient and is the most cold-tolerant of the warm-season turfgrasses. Zoysiagrass is a very slow-growing turfgrass, but it forms a very dense lawn once established. There are several species and cultivars of zoysiagrass available, but the improved cultivars are recommended. Some of these zoysiagrasses include 'Z-52,' 'Meyer,' 'Emerald,' 'El Toro,' 'Matrella,' and 'Cashmere.'

ASK THE EXPERTS
Throughout Alabama, experts who can assist you in your plant choices abound. Try these services, most of which are free, for advice on putting the right plant in the right place:

1. Getting Started 4. Care & Maintenance 7. Attracting Wildlife 10. Protecting the Waterfront
2. Plants for Alabama 5. Mulching/Organic Matter 8. Managing Yard Pests 11. Is Your Yard Healthy?
3. Watering/Irrigation 6. Recycling Yard Waste 9. Reducing Stormwater Runoff 12. Resources

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