Grass, tall grass, flower, double flower, fern, large fern and tree can generate on sand or gravel.
Reproduction:
Grass:
Seed: 552496797037486679
Coordinates: /tp @s -402 68 454
Tall grass:
Seed: 552496797037486679
Coordinates: /tp @s -1512 65 -54
Fern:
Seed: 552496797037486679
Coordinates: /tp @s -525 64 -141
Large fern
Seed: 552496797037486679
Coordinates: /tp @s -322 65 562
Flower
Seed: 552496797037486679
Coordinates: /tp @s 49 65 446
Double flower
Seed: 552496797037486679
Coordinates: /tp @s -1912 65 712
Tree
Seed: 552496797037486679
Coordinates: /tp @s -44 64 454
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Relates to MC-610
Can confirm.

Relates to MC-223826

The simpliest fix would be allowing grass and flowers to be placed on sand and gravel (MC-223826). In real life you can find some plants can grow on sandy and gravelly soils, and in Minecraft it would allow for more decoration options.

But if they would be placeable on sand, it would cause them to generate everywhere in deserts.