← Bedfellow

Prairie Dropseed

Sporobolus heterolepis

A fine-textured fountain of hair-like green foliage that forms arching mounds, topped in late summer by open flower panicles that emit a distinct fragrance of coriander or buttered popcorn. Foliage turns warm golden-orange in fall. One of the most refined native grasses for garden borders.

Family

Poaceae

Type

grass

Lifespan

perennial

Height

2–3 ft

Spacing

2–3 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

dry, moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

June, July, August

Bloom colors

pink, yellow, green, brown

Wildlife value

larval host, songbirds

Landscape uses

specimen, border, naturalizing

Native states

AR, CO, CT, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, SD, TN, VA, WI, WY