Restoring Ravine and Bluff Slopes

Reintroducing native ravine plants is important in restoring the natural character of the ravines. Over the years, many non-native plants have been introduced in to the ravine systems. Frequently, they are more aggressive than native species and take over sections of the ravine. Non-native trees such as Buckthorn and Norway Maple create a dense canopy and heavy shade, eliminating growth on the slopes. Removing the root systems of that growth exposes the steep slope to accelerated erosion from water runoff. This pamphlet provides suggested plants for ravine and bluff restoration as well as slope stabilization. For more information, contact the Lake Forest City Forester at (847) 604-8591. This pamphlet provided by: The City of Lake Forest
Common Name Silver Maple Sugar Maple Shagbark Hickory American Beech White Ash Black Walnut White Pine White Oak Swamp White Oak Burr Oak Red Oak American Basswood

Select Native Ravine Plants for Restoration

SHADE TREES Botanical Name Acer saccharinum Acer saccharum Carya ovata Fagus gradifolia Fraxinus americana Juglans nigra Pinus strobus Quercus alba Quercus bicolor Quercus macrocarpa Quercus rubra Tilia americana Location S,B U,C,S U,C S U,C,S U U,C U,C U,C U,C U,C,S S,B Light S,PS,SH S,PS,SH S,SPD PS, SH S,PS S S,PS S S S S,PS S,PS,SH Water M,W D,M M M M D,M D D M.W D M M Comments Fast Growing Orange fall color; excellent shade tree Beautiful bark, slow growing Mulched bed; stately tree Fall color Moderate growth; allelopathic Lake bluffs and openings State tree; dominant in uplands; pH sensitive Interesting bark Upland; openings Fall color; moderate growth Very shade tolerant; big leaf

INTERMEDIATE TREES Common Name Service Berry Hornbeam Pagoda Dogwood Hophornbeam Black cherry Botanical Name Amelanchier laevis Carpinus caroliniana Cornus alternifolia Otrya virginiana Prunus serotina Location U,C,S U,S,B S,B U,C,S U,C Light S,PS,SH S,PS,SH PS,SH S,PS,SH S Water D,M M M,W D,M D Comments Good wildlife value; flowers; fall color Muscular bark; yellow fall color Flowers; fall color Durable; looks like a young elm Flowers; bird food

SHRUBS Common Name Grey Dogwood Redosier Dogwood Busy Honeysuckle Common Witchhazel Red Vine Honeysuckle Wild Plum Chokeberry Sandbar Willow Nannyberry Vibrurnum Blackhawk Vibrurnum Botanical Name Cornus racemosa Cornus stolonifera Diervilla lonicera Hamamelis virginiana Lonicera dioica Prunus americana Prunus virginiana Salix interior Viburnum lentago Viburnum prunifolium Location U,C,S,B B U,C U,C,S,B C U,C U,C,S B U,S,B U,C Light S,PS S S,PS S,PS,SH S,PS S,PS S,PS,SH S S,PS,SH S,PS Water D,M W D,M D,M D,M D D,M W M,W D,M Comments Berries; fall color; colonizing habit Red stems in water Good low shrub for crest Fall bloom; common shrub in ravines Beautiful flower; vine; hard to find Sunny openings; white flowers Shady slopes; clump forming Sunny openings on creep banks Flowers; fruit Flowers; fall colors

KEY:

U C S B

Location Upland Ravine Crest Ravine Slope Ravine Bottom

Light Water S Sun D Dry PS Partial Shade M Moist SH Shade W Wet

GRASS & SEDGES Common Name Pennsylvania Sedge Canada Wild Rye Fowl Manna Grass Bottlebrush Grass Panic Grass Botanical Name Carex pensylvanica Elymus canadensis Glyceria striata Hystrix patula Panicum Implicatum Location U,C,S U,C U,B U,S,C U,C Light S,PS S,PS S,PS,SH S,PS S,PS Water D,M D,M W D,M D,M Comments Groundcover in uplands; grass-like Interesting seed head Wet woods Pretty seed head Upland openings

WILD FLOWERS Common Name Columbine March Marigold Shooting Star Sharp-Lobed Hepatica Blue Phlox May Apple Solomons Seal Bloodroot False Solomons Seal White Trillium Prairie Trillium Botanical Name Aguilegia canadensis Caltha palustris Dodecatheon meadia Hepatica acutiloba Phlox divaricata Podophyllum peltatum Polygonatum biflorum Sanguinaria canadensis Smilacina racemosa Trillium grandiforum Trillium recurvatum Location C,S U,B U,C,D C U,C,S U,C,S U,C,S U,C,S U,C,S U,C,S U,C,S Light S,PS S,PS S,PS PS S,PS PS,SH PS,SH PS,SH PS,SH S,PS,SH S,PS,SH Water D,M W D,M D,M D,M D,M D,M M D,M D,M D,M Comments Hummingbird favorite Beautiful spring flower along creeks Unique spring flower; goes dominant Early spring flower Beautiful blue flowers Colonizing ground cover Nice texture en masse Good groundcover; white flower Nice flower and berries Showy big white flowers Mottled leaf; maroon flower

GROUNDCOVERS Common Name White Ginger Pennsylvania Sedge Horsetail Trout Lily Swamp Buttercup Early Meadow Rue Native Ferns Violets Botanical Name Asarum canadenes Carex pensylvanica Equisetum arvense Erythronium albidum Rannuculus septentrionalis Thalictrum dioicum Various sp. ferns Viola sp. Location S U,C,S B U,C,S U,B U,C,S U,S,B U,C,S,B Light PS, SH S,PS, SH PS, SH PS, SH S,PS PS, SH PS, SH PS, SH Water M D,M W D,M W D,M D,M,W D,M,W Comments Good groundcover Looks like small tufts of grass Creeks edge; seeps Colonizer; goes dormant Rapid growth in wet openings Delicate foliage; good for small massing Nice texture Spreading; nice flowers

Planting in Ravines
A list of recommended species for restoration and other planting in ravines.

NON-NATIVE GROUNDCOVERS (may be invasive) Common Name Lily of the Valley Purpleleaf Wintercreeper Orange Daylily Myrlte Botanical Name Convallaria majalis Euonymus coloratus Hemerocallis fulva Vinca minor Location C,S U,C,S U,C,S U,C,S Light PS, SH S, PS S,PS S,PS,SH Water D,M D,M D,M D,M Comments Wonderful scented white flower Evergreen; quick spreading Orange flowers in the sun Evergreen; blue flowers

PLANTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE USED IN RAVINES: Common Name Norway Maple Honeysuckle Buckthorn Goutweed Fleeceflower Botanical Name Acer platanoides Lonicera sp. Rhamnus sp. Aegopodium sp. Polygonum sp.

KEY: U C S B

Location Upland Ravine Crest Ravine Slope Ravine Bottom

Light Water S Sun D Dry PS Partial Shade M Moist SH Shade W Wet