Erosion Control Plants for a North Facing Wooded Slope

Erosion Control Plants for a North Facing Wooded Slope

Looking for some plants to grow along a stream/ditch to assist in erosion control. It is a north facing slope in the northern hemisphere with some tall trees providing a good amount of shade. A little light peeks through, but i'd say it is mostly filtered light. Zone 7/8 if that helps.

I'd love to plant something like black willow and vetiver, but from what I read, neither likes the shade that much.

Ideas, personal experience, would be appreciated. Guess I could always thin some of it, but there is a 100 plus year old tulip poplar i think i'll leave in place.

Current idea is a mulberries and a lower growing grass or bamboo. Mulberries do grow down there. Not sure a thicket of mulberries would be the best, but they do seem to have some good roots. It's approximately 300' total distance, so some diversity would be nice, and something useful for other things would be even better.

Right now on my North Facing Wooded Slope I learned I should not cut down any of the large evergreens.  I shouldn't cut down my alders till I am ready to plant also.  Some of my North Slope is being terraced and I plan to incorporate bamboo (clumping preferred), & pampas grass.  However I am in the same boat as you hence why I am re-reading Edible Food Forest Gardens Vol. 2

how steep is the slope?

Check out white and red clovers. They can do well in sun or shade as long as other requirements are met.

Pakanohida, on vol 1 right now, after reading tree crops and . bought several books i'm trying to make my way thru, plus a few pdf's i converted to audio.

soil, the slope overall is approximately 1 foot drop every 2 feet or more. A few places reach 45 degrees, but not for more than maybe 6 feet. It slopes north, then meets 10 to 15 feet of flat ground before the stream. The stream has a tendency to flood on occasions from heavy rain because of runoff up stream. It has done a fairly good job of maintaining itself, but before the exit culvert, it has been eating away at a bend and wearing away tree roots. I can wait for other to do something about it, wait for the whole thing to block itself up and potentially wash everything out.

Jonathan, thank you for the idea. seems like an easy low maintenance choice.