Prairie dropseed is a clump-forming, warm season, native perennial grass. It features fine-textured, hair-like, emerald green leaves which typically form an arching foliage mound. The foliage turns golden with orange hues in fall, fading to light bronze in winter. Open, branching flower panicles appear on slender stems which rise above the foliage clump in late summer to 3 feet tall. The flowers are pink-tinted, but are perhaps most noted for their fragrance (hints of cilantro or popcorn). The seed was used by Plains Indians to make flour. The seed also attracts birds. Prairie dropseed can be used in the landscape to create a border when planted in a line or as a specimen in a perennial garden.
Zones 3 - 9
