Product Details
A favorite of garden designers, native Prairie Dropseed is equally valuable massed or as an accent plant thanks to its tidy mounds of 15” blades. This Ornamental Grass reaches its full height of 2-3' in autumn when crowned with rust-colored airy plumes against burnished gold foliage. An interesting perk is its coriander scent.
Of the roughly 160 annual and perennial Sporobolus species found growing worldwide, more than 25 are native to North America. The commonly grown Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) is a fine-textured, upright, mounding Grass that begins growing in June and is at its best during the dog days of summer. It produces delicate panicles of flowers that ripen in late summer to tiny seeds which help sustain a variety of overwintering songbirds and other wildlife. Sporobolus is adaptable to a range of environmental conditions, though it particularly thrives in full sun and well-drained soils and is drought tolerant and deer resistant. In gardens and designed landscapes, whether naturalistic or formal, Prairie Dropseed brings movement and textural contrast. In a mass planting, the sheer beauty of its undulating mounded forms, airy flowers, and dancing seed panicles are breathtakingly beautiful. Sporobolus is not considered invasive, making it a responsible choice for naturalistic designs and restoration projects. For gardeners, the ecological value, ease of care, and aesthetic qualities make it highly desirable.
For more information on Ornamental Grasses, click Growing Guide.
Shipping
HOW PLANTS ARE SHIPPED
The size of the plants we ship has been selected to reduce the shock of transplanting. For some, this means a large, bareroot crown. Others cannot travel bareroot or transplant best if grown in containers. We ship these perennials and annuals in 1 pint pots, except as noted. We must point out that many perennials will not bloom the first year after planting, but will the following year, amply rewarding your patience. We ship bulbs as dormant, bare bulbs, sometimes with some wood shavings or moss. Shrubs, Roses, vines, and other woody plants may be shipped bareroot or in pots. The size of the pot is noted in the quick facts for each item.
WHEN WE SHIP
We ship our bulbs and plants at the right time for planting in your area, except as noted, with orders dispatched on a first-come, first-served basis by climate zone. We also ship a wide range of containers and planters, tools, supplies, fertilizers, garden wear, garden decor items, as well as indoor decorations like wreaths and dried bouquets when available. Estimated dates for shipping are indicated in the green Shipping Details box for each item. Please supply a street address for delivery. Kindly contact us with two weeks notice, if you'll be away at the expected time of delivery.
OUR GUARANTEE
We guarantee to ship plants that are in prime condition for growing. If your order is damaged or fails to meet your expectations, we will cheerfully replace or refund it. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-503-9624 or email us at [email protected]. Please include your order number or customer number when contacting us.
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Growing guide
Latin Name Pronunciation: spore-ob’-uh-lus
Of approximately 160 annual and perennial species of Sporobolus growing worldwide, more than 25 are North American natives. They occupy habitat niches from ledges, woodland clearings, semi-deserts to floodplains over a wide geographical range. These fine-textured, deep-rooted, drought-resistant mounding grasses begin growing in June and are at their best during the dog days of summer. Their adaptability, beauty, deer-resistance, ecological importance and contribution to biodiversity make Sporobolus invaluable low-maintenance plants.
Growing Sporobolus
Plant the crown just at soil level, or slightly above if you will be adding mulch. Spacing is indicated on the back of the plant tag. Sporobolus takes a few years to reach mature size, first putting its energy into growing roots. It’s worth the wait, for it can thrive for decades with little to no care. Once established, Prairie Dropseed’s deep and wide-spreading fibrous root system makes it an exceptionally drought-resistant, resilient plant that grows in low-fertility conditions and good garden soil alike.Light: Sun
Watering: Low water needs, tolerates periods of drought well. Water deeply when planting and supplement as needed to establish.
Fertilizer: Do not fertilize. Grows well in low-fertility soil and excess nutrients can be detrimental. Mulch with previous season’s growth, sterile straw or gravel if possible. If mulching with wood products, apply sparingly and do not let it pile up around the crown.
Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soils including dry ones, best in moist naturally fertile well-drained soil.
Pests/Diseases: Generally pest and disease free, although voles may feed on crown. Excess moisture-retaining wood product mulch can foster fungal diseases.
Dividing/Transplanting: Dense mature clumps are difficult to divide and don’t need to be. Transplanting is best done in spring when plants are actively growing but may be done during dormancy.
End-of-Season Care: None required. Just let Sporobolus be its beautiful dormant self in fall through winter. Its low foliage drapes over the ground in winter, essentially self-mulching, and new foliage pierces through the old in spring. Cut back in spring if you wish.
