Prairie Dropseed

On a windy day such as today it is interesting to watch the grasses in the front of the house. There are several clumps of prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) in the front entrance bed. This short prairie grass is done blooming now so the three foot plumes of flowers are going to seed. Soon the foliage will be turning yellow but the flowering stalks will remain all winter. The seeds of dropseeds are an important food source for many ground feeding birds like juncos and sparrows. The seeds the birds don't get will readily reseed.

I need to collect some seed and plant in other areas of the property where there is none. A task for tomorrow if the wind dies down.