A preferred native grass for prairie gardens, Prairie Dropseed adds a touch of elegance to any planting. A burst of flowering panicles on slender stems float above the tufted grass in late summer in tints …
Prairie Dropseed adds a touch of elegance to any planting. A burst of flowering panicles in tints of pink and brown float above the tufted base on slender stems in late summer. The bloom has a unique fragrance with hints of coriander. In fall the foliage color turns to hues of gold. Considered by many to be the most handsome of all prairie grasses, Prairie Dropseed is a desirable native grass for any garden. Create a well-defined and distinctive border with Prairie Dropseed by placing new transplants 18 to 24 inches apart.
A host plant for six species of butterflies or moths, including the endangered Poweshiek Skipperling and the threatened Dakota Skipper, Prairie Dropseed is listed as an endangered species in five states: Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Seeding Rates for a Solid Stand of Prairie Dropseed • 1/4 Lb. per 1000 square feet • 10 Lb. per acre
Native plants can be grown outside of their native range in the appropriate growing conditions. This map shows the native range, as well as the introduced range, of this species.
Plant Shipping Rates: Plant orders of $50.00 and under, add $9.95 shipping charge. Plant orders over $50.00, add 18% of the total plant cost.
We ship plants in the spring, and in the fall, during our plant-shipping periods. Fall plant-shipping begins on September 11, 2023, and the last day to order plants for fall shipment is October 1, 2023.
During checkout, you will choose a Shipping Week for your plant delivery, from the dates that are available. The week that you choose will be included in your order confirmation email. When your plants have shipped you will receive another email that includes tracking information.
I'm thinking about planting prairie dropseed in a narrow, shallow piece of landscape between a retaining wall and a sidewalk. The ground will probably be 3-5" deep. Will that be deep enough for this plant to thrive? If not, do you have suggestions for how we can prevent soil erosion in this shallow area? The plants will have a retaining wall on one side and 6" to the other side, a concrete sidewalk. Thank you!
The 3" - 5" base will not be enough soil for prairie dropseed, which has a very large fibrous root system. Look for a plant(s) with a rhizomatous type root (rhizome). This shallow, creeping root type is typically used for ground cover.
Assuming that your planting site will be on the dry side and in full sun, with such a shallow depth, Bearberry could work if you are looking for a single stand-alone species - as long as you are in a northerly zone. Alternatively, you could try blending several plants in groups such as Pussytoes, Labrador violet, prairie smoke, wild strawberry. All are low-growing spreaders that will tolerate dry situations.
In either case, if water runoff/erosion is a problem, consider placing some larger rocks and additional soil to create a sunny rock garden. Rocks can help slow water runoff enough to let the shallow rooted plants thrive.
Does prairie dropseed tend to reseed and spread? Can (or should) it be divided periodically?
Prairie Dropseed spreads primarily by reseeding itself, but it is slow to establish and so is not an agressive spreader. Dividing plants is not necessary because this grass doesn't die-out in the center, as some grasses/sedges do. While dividing is possible, mature plants have a dense, deep fibrous root system that makes division difficult.
What is the seeding rate for a solid stand of Prairie Dropseed?
The seeding rate for Prairie Dropseed, for a solid stand (of a single species), is: • 1/4 lb. per 1000 sq. ft., or • 10 lb. per acre.
When seeding two or more grasses together, divide the seeding rate for each species by the number of species to be planted. When seeding grasses and flowers together, use one-half to two-thirds of the recommended grass seeding rate, depending upon your desired balance of flowers to grasses.
What age are the 3" pots?
If you purchase our Prairie Dropseed in 3" pots the plants will be less than 1 year old. If purchased in the spring, they were started from seed in our propagation house the previous fall. If purchased in the fall they were started the previous spring.
When starting seeds indoors in pellets, how many seeds per pellet & approximately how long till germination?
Prairie Dropseed is a warm season grass, and as such, germination occurs when the soil temperature is around 70°F. At these temperatures you should see germination in 1 - 3 weeks. (15 days is typical). You can sow anywhere from 5 - 15 seeds per planting cell. Eight is a good average, for the number of seeds per cell. The best indoor germination occurs when the room is kept at 75°, and seed trays are intermittently irrigated with a gentle mist of water. Direct lighting is beneficial as well.
How tall does Prairie Dropseed get?
When Prairie Dropseed is 'in flower' the stems can be 3' – 4' high. The grass bunch alone, when not in flower, is 18" - 24" high.
I have a grouping of 3 plants (3" pots purchased from Prairie) in their second season and all are thriving. However, only one plant is producing seed heads as of July 28. My question is will this issue remedy itself or do some plants never produce seed? Thanks.
Most likely, the 2 are just taking longer to mature. This will remedy itself over time. We can't think of any reason why a Dropseed plant would not eventually produce it's seed head.
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