A new sidewalk was installed in front of my house and there is a large, sloped area now that runs along the sidewalk. The installation of the sidewalk required some grading of the site. It is steeper than I care to mow, so I am considering a suggestion from a neighbor to plant Gro-Low sumac. What are your thoughts regarding this choice?
— Gary Jones, Grayslake
Your friend made a great suggestion for a low-maintenance shrub to use as a ground cover for your garden. It is a tough plant that I use for similar purposes. Gro-Low sumac (Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’) is a selection of a fragrant sumac, made by Synnestvedt Nursery in Illinois. This plant reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and spreads to 8 feet wide. It can grow in poor, dry soil and tolerates road salt. Prune off any branches broken by snow piles and the plant will quickly fill back in. The spreading branches tend to root where they touch the soil and form a dense mat that will suppress weeds. This fast-growing, durable plant is a good choice to stabilize a bank and requires little maintenance. Gro-Low sumac struggles like most other plants if the planting bed consists of rock-hard subsoil. When grown in full sun, it has a good orange-red fall color. Fall color becomes more muted as shade levels increase. Though this plant is vigorous, it is not an invader. I have also had good luck planting container-grown Gro-Low sumac.
You did not describe your site, so I will provide some general recommendations. Gro-Low sumac performs best in full sun and tolerates partial shade, but will become less vigorous as the shade deepens. It responds well to pruning as needed to control its growth. It will likely creep onto your sidewalk in time and will need to be pruned. The shrub does not provide as much stability to a bank in deep shade. Mulch the new planting to help stabilize the soil and reduce watering as the plants become established. I like using shredded bark mulch. Rain and watering by sprinkler will cause some erosion unless there is a layer of mulch.
Creeping lilyturf (Liriope spicata) is another option to consider. This is an herbaceous ground cover with a grassy appearance that spreads and helps hold soil along a sidewalk. It is shorter than the Gro-Low sumac, but holds the soil and helps suppress weeds. Creeping lilyturf is also easy to grow and it grows well in sun and some shade. Simply mow it down in early spring before it starts to grow. Its lavender flowers in summer are a bonus.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
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