Guides

Best plants for pond and lake bank erosion control in Florida

The best plants for pond and lake bank erosion control in South Florida depend on where they sit on the slope. Turf or native grasses hold the top of the bank, and native emergent plants such as pickerelweed, arrowhead, spikerush and golden canna hold the waterline and the littoral shelf. Plants protect a bank that still has its soil, but they cannot rebuild a bank that has already washed into the lake.

Why it matters where each plant goes

A lake or pond bank has 3 working zones, and each needs a different kind of plant.

• Top of bank. The dry, mowed slope above the water. This is turf or upland grasses.
• Wet edge. The strip that is wet in the rainy season and dry in the dry season. This needs plants that tolerate both.
• Waterline and littoral shelf. The shallow water just off the bank. This is where emergent plants root in water and stand above it.

UF/IFAS uses a similar split in its guide to stormwater pond shorelines, which divides plants into a "bank slope zone" and a "water edge zone." (UF/IFAS ENH1215) The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) handbook for wet detention lakes also requires side slopes to be "topsoiled and stabilized by seeding or planting from 2.0 feet below to 1.0 foot above the control elevation" (section 5.3.2(e)). (SFWMD ERP Applicant's Handbook Vol. II)

Best plants for the top of the bank

Turfgrass

Most community lakes and ponds have a lawn that runs to the water. Turf at the top of the bank slows runoff and holds the surface soil.

• Bahiagrass. UF/IFAS describes it as having a deep, extensive root system, and notes that mowing higher "promotes a deeper, more extensive root system." It survives long dry spells by going dormant. (UF/IFAS ENH6) It has poor shade tolerance. (UF/IFAS Extension turfgrass fact sheet)
• St. Augustinegrass. The common lawn grass in many South Florida communities. UF/IFAS rates it good for shade, depending on cultivar, and fair for drought, and it is established from sod, plugs or sprigs. (UF/IFAS Extension turfgrass fact sheet)

The same UF/IFAS fact sheet notes that groundcovers may work better than grass on steep slopes where grass is hard to maintain. Turf holds a bank at its design slope far better than one cut steep by erosion.

Native grasses for the bank slope

Where residents accept a planted band, UF/IFAS lists these native options for the bank slope zone of stormwater ponds (UF/IFAS ENH1215):

• Fakahatchee grass (*Tripsacum dactyloides*), for dry to moist soil
• Florida gamagrass (*Tripsacum floridanum*), for dry to wet soil
• Muhly grass (*Muhlenbergia capillaris*), for dry to wet soil

A UF/IFAS database on stormwater pond plants also suggests Elliott's lovegrass (*Eragrostis spectabilis*), a native, drought tolerant grass, for the top of the bank. (UF/IFAS FOR347)

Best plants for the wet edge

• Sand cordgrass (*Spartina bakeri*). Native to Florida and recommended by UF/IFAS for "the shorelines of ponds and streams." It grows 3 to 4 feet tall, tolerates periodic flooding and has high drought tolerance, and UF/IFAS notes it is commonly used in erosion control and wetland restoration and suits water retention and detention areas. (UF/IFAS FP554)
• Blue flag iris (*Iris virginica*). Listed by UF/IFAS for the wet edge, in moist to wet soil. (UF/IFAS ENH1215)

Best littoral plants for Florida ponds and lakes

These are native emergent plants that root in shallow water. The depths below are from UF/IFAS. (UF/IFAS ENH1215)

Pickerelweed

Pickerelweed is native from Nova Scotia through all of Florida and grows 3 to 5 feet tall. UF/IFAS says "its aggressive habit can help stabilize a pond bank, and it is nicely suited for planting in a water retention pond." Its fact sheet puts the limit at about 12 inches of water and warns that "deeper water will kill them." (UF/IFAS FP490)

Golden canna

UF/IFAS recommends golden canna for pond edges for both water quality and bank stabilization. (UF/IFAS FOR347)

Spikerush

Spikerush is one of the 2 littoral plants the Brooks of Bonita Springs community development districts use along their rebuilt lake banks, together with canna. The districts note that the roots follow the water as it recedes in the dry season. (Brooks of Bonita Springs CDDs)

Giant bulrush for wave protection

For lakes with more open water, UF/IFAS suggests giant bulrush (*Schoenoplectus californicus*) offshore, noting it "provides protection for shorelines from offshore wave action." (UF/IFAS FOR347)

How littoral plants help

UF/IFAS explains that "strongly rooted emergent plants also help prevent erosion by buffering the wave action that undermines upland plant roots." (UF/IFAS ENH1215)

What not to plant: invasive species

Never plant these, and remove them where they appear.

• Torpedograss (*Panicum repens*). Brought in as a forage grass in the late 1800s. UF/IFAS says it grows from dry land to water 6 feet deep, forms thick mats, crowds out native plants and is hard to control because of its starch storing rhizomes. (UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants)
• Brazilian pepper. Brought in as an ornamental. SFWMD says it reduces biodiversity in habitat that native wildlife depends on. (SFWMD)
• Melaleuca. SFWMD notes it was first planted as an ornamental and later for erosion control near Lake Okeechobee, and that by 1985 at least 500,000 acres statewide were infested. It is a clear lesson that a plant chosen to hold soil can become the larger problem. (SFWMD)
• Hydrilla, water lettuce and water hyacinth. SFWMD groups these as aquatic weeds that clog flood control structures and damage habitat. (SFWMD)

Palm Beach County's littoral coverage rule

Palm Beach County sets littoral planting rules for lakes it permits in unincorporated areas, meaning lakes over 1 acre or deeper than 6 feet. (Palm Beach County ERM) The requirements include (Palm Beach County ERM lake requirements):

• A planted littoral zone of at least 8 square feet per linear foot of shoreline
• Placed between 1 foot above and 2 feet below the ordinary water level
• At least 5 species at an average spacing of 2 feet on center
• A slope no steeper than 10:1, extending 5 feet waterward of the planted zone
• 80% coverage within 180 days
• Less than 10% exotic or invasive species after the first year
• Monitoring reports at time zero, 90, 180 and 360 days

The county also says the lake owner, which can be an HOA, a property manager or a municipality, maintains the lake and the littoral zone in perpetuity. (Palm Beach County ERM) If your lake is in unincorporated Palm Beach County, its permit may already require a planted littoral zone.

Why plants alone do not rebuild a bank that is gone

Plants hold soil that is there. They cannot put back soil that has already washed into the lake.

Most bank failure starts at and just below the waterline. Water levels rise through the wet season, which SFWMD places at about May 15 to October 15. (SFWMD) Runoff carries soil down the slope, and small waves cut under the grass until a lip of turf hangs over a gap. When the lip falls, the bank has moved back toward the homes. See why lake banks erode.

On a bank like that, littoral plants face 3 problems:

1. There is no shelf. Eroded soil leaves deeper water at the edge. Most of the plants in the table above need 18 inches of water or less.
2. The slope above is still too steep. Turf on a cut bank keeps sliding no matter what is growing in front of it.
3. New plants are fragile. UF/IFAS notes that grass carp "browse on the tips of young, tender, emergent plants." (UF/IFAS ENH1215) FWC warns that if carp are overstocked, "it may be ten years or more before the vegetation community recovers." (FWC)

That is why plants work best as a partner to a rebuilt bank, not a substitute for one. See whether littoral shelves stop erosion and living shorelines for lakes and ponds.

We rebuild the slope from the waterline up with leading edge technology so the grass roots into the bank, and we keep the work out of residents' yards. Once the slope is back, the board can keep a lawn to the water, add a planted edge, or both.

A planting checklist for boards

Before approving any planting proposal, ask:

• Is the bank at or near its design slope, or has it been cut steep?
• How deep is the water where each plant will go, at both high and low water?
• Are all species native, and is anything on the list invasive?
• Does the lake permit or county rule require a littoral zone, and what coverage?
• Who replaces plants that die, and for how long is survival guaranteed?
• Have residents along that bank agreed to see plants instead of open water?

Our Lake Bank Risk Score shows whether a lake or pond bank can be protected with plants or needs rebuilding first. For a full survey, book a free lake bank walk. We work across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami Dade counties. Call (561) 309 9603.

Questions boards ask

What are the best plants for pond bank erosion control in Florida?

At the top of the bank, turf such as bahiagrass, which UF/IFAS describes as having a deep, extensive root system, or St. Augustinegrass, or native grasses like Fakahatchee grass and muhly grass. At the wet edge, sand cordgrass. In the shallow water, native emergent plants such as pickerelweed, arrowhead, duck potato, spikerush and golden canna.

How deep should littoral plants be planted?

UF/IFAS lists most emergent shoreline plants at about 6 to 18 inches of water, with arrowhead and spikerush at 6 to 12 inches. Palm Beach County requires its littoral zones between 1 foot above and 2 feet below the ordinary water level. Plants set too deep tend to drown.

What plants should we never put on a pond bank?

Avoid invasive species such as torpedograss, Brazilian pepper and melaleuca, and remove hydrilla, water lettuce and water hyacinth from the water. Melaleuca is a warning case: SFWMD says it was once planted for erosion control and went on to infest hundreds of thousands of acres.

Will grass carp eat our littoral plants?

They can. UF/IFAS notes grass carp prefer submerged plants but also browse the tips of young emergent plants, which is what a new planting is. Ask your lake management company how many carp are stocked before you plant.

Can plants fix a pond bank that has already caved in?

No. Plants hold soil that is still there, but they do not replace soil that has washed into the lake. A bank that has lost its soil needs the slope rebuilt first, and plants can then be added as a partner to that repair.

Does Palm Beach County require littoral plants?

For lakes it permits in unincorporated areas, Palm Beach County requires a planted littoral zone with at least 5 species, 80% coverage within 180 days and less than 10% invasive species after the first year. The owner maintains the lake and littoral zone in perpetuity. Check your lake's permit to see what applies.

Sources: UF/IFAS Florida Friendly Plants for Stormwater Pond Shorelines · UF/IFAS Bahiagrass for Florida Lawns · UF/IFAS Trait Based Selection of Stormwater Pond Plants · UF/IFAS FP554 Sand Cordgrass · UF/IFAS FP490 Pickerelweed · UF/IFAS Torpedograss · SFWMD Invasive Plants · Palm Beach County ERM Lake Excavation Requirements · FWC Grass Carp

More guides

• Why lake banks erode, and how to tell if yours is
• Retention pond bank repair: what boards and managers need to know
• Why regrading and sodding a lake bank does not last