Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
The towering 'turkey-foot' grass that once defined the tallgrass prairie, head-high by fall.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
- Home
- Plant guide
- Prairie Dropseed
Fine emerald to amber
Ornamental grass
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
The most refined native grass — a fountain of fine emerald threads that turn amber in fall.
the Midwestthe Great Plainsthe Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe South-Central region
Growing Prairie Dropseed
The flowers carry a curious scent of coriander or buttered popcorn. Slow to establish but unmatched as an elegant, mounding border grass. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, fragrant, and good fall color.
Where it grows
Prairie Dropseed is native to the Midwest. In the wild you’ll find it across Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana and 27 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Prairie Dropseed on 37 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Prairie Dropseed
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Prairie Dropseed’s range and conditions.
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Tall golden plumes catch the autumn light above a classic tallgrass-prairie planting.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
The backbone grass of the prairie — blue-green in summer, glowing copper and silver all winter.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
An upright, clumping grass with a summer haze of pink seed heads and reliable golden fall color.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color