Sporobolus heterolepis - Prairie Dropseed

Sun Exposure: Full Sun

Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry

Soil Type: Sand, Loam, Loam-Clay

Height: 2 feet

Spread: 2 - 3 feet

Blooms: August, September, October

Root: Fibrous

Habitat: Hill Prairies, Gravel Prairies, Savannas, Thinly wooded rocky bluffs

Landscape uses: Pollinator garden, Naturalization, Drought Tolerant

Complimentary Plants: Butterfly Milkweed, Pale Purple Coneflower, Nodding Onion

Wildlife Value: Grasshoppers eat the leaves. Host plant: Red-Tailed Leafhopper (designated Species of concern due to loss of habitat). The seeds are eaten by sparrows and other granivorous songbirds from late summer into winter; these species include the Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, and Slate-Colored Junco.

Seed Origin: Coldwater, ON (Wildflower Farm seed supplier)

Germination Code: A

Photo credits: #1 by Krzysztof Ziarnek , #2 by Krzysztof Ziarnek, #3 by David J. Stang, #4 by David J. Stang

Sporobolus heterolepis - Prairie Dropseed

Name: Sporobolus heterolepis - Prairie Dropseed
Price: 6 CAD
Availability: InStock

From C$6.00

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Prairie Dropseed is a beautiful clump forming native grass with dense tufts of sprawling narrow leaves. This grass sends up seed stalks in late summer and takes on a nice golden hue all throughout the fall and winter. An interesting design element for a native plant garden, which also smells similar to cilantro.

Sporobolus heterolepis has a special photosynthetic metabolism, typically found in cacti. This allows it to adapt to growing in hot, dry conditions once established. Called C4 metabolism, the grass stores up the sun's energy during the day, but actually processes the energy to convert to stored starches during the night, when the moisture loss associated with daytime photosynthetic activity, is minimized.

The seeds of this species, which drop in the fall, are a great food for seed eating birds. This is also a host plant for one of our declining leaphoper species.