Roof Systems Of Prairie Plants

The natural properties of sedum make this succulent plant extremely suitable for roof greening.

Roof systems of prairie plants.

One can literally create a prairie or shade garden on the roof. The plants were selected for their ability to thrive in the conditions on the roof which is exposed to the sun and can be windy and arid. Ferns such as polypodium vulgare and asplenium trichomanes could be used in dry shady conditions. Moisture loving plants are found closest to or in the water while less moisture dependent plants or plants with deep roots are found as you move up the banks towards the upland areas.

The city hall rooftop garden improves air quality conserves energy reduces stormwater runoff and helps lessen the urban heat island effect. Eighty percent came from what i already had in the yard diane said of the sedum day lilies herbs and prairie plants collected over the years and recently relocated to the garage roof. Diboll sells customized seed mixes for sandy or clay soils and wet or dry. Because she didn t have to buy many plants their 1 200 grant from the watershed district covered the majority of the roofing project.

Many people don t understand the importance of the enormous root systems of some of prairie plants. Carex nigra is technically considered a sedge and is often used on living roofs because its roots require less soil than most other grasses or grass like plants. Mat forming species of sedum sempervivum and moss are good choices. The deep system is used for biodiverse green roofs.

Album delosperma could be tried in a sunny frost free area. Some seeds will never sprout without prairie fires. Coffmane and gord kochf aun lincoln department of agronomy and horticulture and the program in landscape architecture 279 plant sciences lincoln ne usa 68583 0915 402 472 1127 rsutton1 unl edu corresponding author. Also many of the hardy highly adaptable prairie plants grow nicely outside their native region.

Succulents are plants that store water in a part of the plant. This family consists of four to five hundred species and thousands of different varieties. Sedum also often known as stonecrop is a genus of the crassulaceae family of succulent plants. Some gardeners use prairie plants to overcome landscaping obstacles such as stabilizing a steep hillside planting on septic drain fields or penetrating hard to work soils.

Most are prairie plants native to the chicago region. Harringtonb lee skabelundc peter macdonaghd reid r. Literature templates and analogs richard k. The above ground part of the plant provides food for other living organisms oxygen for the atmosphere habitats for other living creatures and fuel for the prairie fires in the fall.

With 6 inch soil depth it becomes possible to support a broad array of non succulent plants.