Prairie dropseed

Prairie dropseed: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Rounded, fountain-shaped clump about 60 cm tall and wide, slowly increasing in diameter.

Foliage

Hair-fine, bright green and glossy; orange to copper brown in autumn, straw yellow in winter.

Flower

Airy panicles on thin stems above the foliage, in August–September, light pink to brown.

Scent

The panicles smell soft and sweet; some people recognise coriander in it.

Roots

Deep and fibrous: the plant stands firmly and gets through dry spells, but is hard to transplant.

Flowering: August–September · Plants: April–May · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• Fine, fountain-shaped foliage that gives a soft, calm structure to a border or gravel garden.
• Scented flower panicles in late summer: an unusual, sweet scent that you notice mostly up close.
• Beautiful autumn colour, orange to copper brown, and straw-yellow leaves in winter.
• Drought-tolerant, and copes with poor soil and heavy clay.
• Little work: one cut a year, and usually no watering or feeding.

Prairie dropseed: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: in shade the clump flops and flowers sparsely.
• Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky. It tolerates poor soil; on rich soil it grows too soft.
• Dry to moderately moist: once established it copes with drought.
• Choose the final spot straight away: the deep roots do not like moving.
• Allow 40–60 cm between plants; in groups it forms a soft, rolling carpet.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.6 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Coneflower (Echinacea): Pink flowers above the fine foliage, in the same sunny summer.
• Aster: Purple or pink stars in autumn, when the grass turns orange.
• Stonecrop (Sedum): Fleshy plants that flower in late summer and like the same dry sun.
• Catmint (Nepeta): Blue-purple flowers earlier in summer; same dry spot.
• Sage (Salvia): Purple flower spikes with a lovely upright form next to the soft clump.

Prairie dropseed: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April or May, once the soil has warmed up and the plant can establish quickly.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball. On heavy clay you can mix in some coarse sand or grit.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 40–60 cm between plants.
5. Water in thoroughly straight away, then weekly in dry weather during the first year.
6. Spread a thin layer of gravel or coarse compost around the plant, keeping the heart clear.

Care

Water

Weekly in dry weather in the first year. After that it copes by itself, even in a dry summer.

Feeding

Not needed: it looks best on poor soil. Too much feed gives soft, floppy clumps.

Weeding

Keep young plants free of weeds: they grow slowly and are easily smothered.

Tidying

Leave the clumps standing over winter and cut them back in March.

Moving

Avoid it: the deep roots recover slowly. Choose the right spot straight away.

Tip: Choose the final spot straight away and give it time: it grows slowly but becomes a sturdy, long-lived clump. Smell the panicles in late summer, as the scent is best up close.

Prairie dropseed: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, before the new shoots start to grow.

How:

• Cut all leaves and stems back to about 8–10 cm above the ground.
• Tie the clump together with string first: this makes clearing up easy.
• The cuttings can go on the compost heap.
• In a small spot you can simply comb the clump through with your fingers.

Caution: Do not cut in autumn: the straw-yellow foliage gives structure in winter and protects the base from wet and frost.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow in October–November outdoors in a seed tray: the winter cold helps the seed germinate. Germination is slow and uneven, so be patient; seedlings grow slowly at first.

Division

Possible in spring, but the clump is tough and the roots deep. Only do it if really needed, with a sharp spade.

Prairie dropseed: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• Leave the clumps standing until March: the straw-yellow foliage covered in frost looks lovely.
• In a pot: use a large pot of at least 30 cm with drainage, stand it against a sheltered wall and wrap it in hessian in severe frost.

Diseases and pests

• Slow growth: Normal: it takes a few years for the clump to reach its full size. Be patient, and do not feed.
• Floppy, open clump: Caused by shade or soil that is too rich. Move to full sun and do not feed.
• Rotting in winter: On cold, wet clay the clump can rot away. Mix coarse sand into the soil or plant on a mound.
• Smothering by weeds: Young clumps grow slowly and get overgrown. Weed regularly and mulch with gravel.

Through the year

• March: Cut all clumps back to 8–10 cm.
• April: Plant. Little to see yet: the grass starts late.
• May: Plant. New, bright green shoots.
• June: Quiet growth. In the first year water weekly in dry weather.
• July: The fountain-shaped clump is at full strength.
• August: Flowering begins, with airy, scented panicles.
• September: In flower. The foliage begins to colour.
• October: Autumn colour, orange to copper brown.
• November: Leave the clumps standing.
• December: Resting. The straw-yellow foliage gives structure.

Good for wildlife

Birds

Berries, seeds or insects as food, or a place to nest.

Did you know?

• The name ‘dropseed’ refers to the seeds, which fall easily from the panicle when ripe.
• The species name heterolepis means ‘with unequal scales’, referring to the different sizes of the glumes.
• In the wild it has become rare because much of the original prairie has disappeared.