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West Michigan/Kent County Native Turf #810750

Asked September 14, 2022, 10:55 AM EDT

I am looking to find out what turf grasses are native to Grand Rapids/ Kent County, Michigan and will work for our pretty unique situation. Our front lawn has traditional turf, but is on a steep slope which makes mowing extremely difficult. The lawn gets full sun and doesn't have much of a wind break to protect it in the winter. Lastly, (just to make this a more challenging puzzle) we live in an urban neighborhood. So, I'm hoping there is a native turf grass (or other native short plant) that can be planted en mass, grows fast to moderate, can help prevent erosion, is drought-tolerant, requires very little maintenance, and has something of a well-kept appearance.  (That's quite a wish list, I know.)  Thanks for your input!

Kent County Michigan

Expert Response

This is a really fun series of questions!

When we are talking about "turf," we are specifically talking about grasses that can be grown on a lawn and are mown. There aren't any native grasses that are suitable for this use. There are however many excellent groundcovers, sedges, low growing grasses that might be suitable for your situation. Lawn is a broader term that often included things like clover and other low-growing plants.

Non-native options
  • Fescue grasses - often used in no mow mixes
    • These are taller than a traditional lawn and have a less neat appearance, but I think they look quite nice on hills.
  • Clover - white clover is often used as a lawn alternative and attracts bees. It can be slick when wet.
  • Liriope - resilient and easy to grow. 'No Mo' has a finer texter than other cultivars.
Native
  • Sedges - sedges are grass-like in appearance but aren't grass. They tend to look more similar to fescue grasses. Pennsylvania sedge is a native option. Not all sedges are native but there are many native choices.
  • Prairie Dropseed - loved by birds but tends to grow tall in comparison to a traditional lawn. 
  • Barren strawberry - not a strawberry but has gorgeous flowers.

These are just some ideas to get you started. I would suggest considering a mixture of plants with taller species towards the bottom of the hill and shorter ones towards the top so as not to block your view. I've also included a plant selector tool that will help you when making decisions as well as some articles. 

https://www.canr.msu.edu/nativeplants/plant_facts/plant-search-tool

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/smart_gardeners_replace_worn_out_turf_with_thrifty_ground_covers

https://www.a2gov.org/departments/Parks-Recreation/NAP/Native-Plants/pages/nativegrassesrushessedges.aspx
An Ask Extension Expert Replied September 15, 2022, 10:36 AM EDT
Oh my goodness!  This is SOOOOO helpful!  Thank you!  I'll dig into the links later this evening.  (pun intended) Very excited!

Have a wonderful day!
Kelli

No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There is too much work to do.
-Dorothy Day

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------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 15th, 2022 at 10:36 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

The Question Asker Replied September 15, 2022, 10:41 AM EDT

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