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Grass and Forb Mixtures
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       * Leslie Weston
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photograph by: KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES

photograph by: William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Grass and Forb Descriptions


Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Andropogon gerardii [*] [**] [***]
Big bluestem
  • This is an ornamental grass that grows to 4 - 8 feet tall and spreads to 2 to 3 feet wide.
  • Grows best under full sun, in dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Purplish red flowers that are up to 4 inches wide bloom from September to February.
  • The leaves are up to 2 inches long and 3/8 inch wide. The grayish, blue-green leaves in spring turn green in summer, and then become reddish bronze with lavender tones in autumn and winter.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9.

Courtesy Binny Plants Nursery		 Antennaria rubra
  • This is an evergreen perennial plant that grows to 2 - 4 inches tall and spreads to 2 feet.
  • Best growth is under full sun to partial shade, in dry to moderately moist soils.
  • White (male) and reddish-purple (female) flowers bloom from May to June.
  • Leaves are silvery gray green.
  • USDA zone: 4 - 8

Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Asclepias syriaca [**] [***]
Common milkweed
  • This plant is an herbaceous perennial that grows to 2 - 3 feet height and 0.75 - 1 foot in spread.
  • It grows best under full sun, in dry to medium soil.
  • The pink, mauve, or white flowers bloom from June to August.
  • The leaves are reddish-veined light green, up to 8 inches long.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Asclepias tuberosa [*] [**] [***]
Butterfly milkweed
  • This is an herbaceous perennial that grows 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun, in dry to moderately moist sites.
  • Yellow or orange flowers bloom from June to August.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

Courtesy Missouri Botanical PlantFinder		 Aster ericoides [*] [**]
White heath aster
  • This is an herbaceous perennial with height up to 3 feet and spread up to 2 feet.
  • Best growth condition is full sun with dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Flowers (1/2 in.) are white with yellow centers, and they bloom from August to October.
  • Leaves are up to 3 inches long and 1/4 inch wide.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 10

Courtesy Missouri Botanical PlantFinder		 Aster laevis [**]
Smooth blue aster
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to 2 - 4 feet high and spreads to 1 - 2 feet wide.
  • Smooth blue aster grows best under full sun, in dry to medium soil.
  • Flowers have violet to purple rays with yellow centers, and bloom from September to October.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Baptisia australis [**] [***]
Blue wild indigo
  • This plant is an herbaceous perennial reaching a height and spread of 3 - 4 feet.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun or partial shade, in dry to moderately moist sites.
  • Indigo blue flowers bloom from May to June. Bluish green leaves are up to 2 inches long.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

Robert Soreng @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Buchloe dactyloides [*] [**] [***]
Buffalograss
  • This perennial grows 4 - 8 inches tall.
  • Buffalograss grows best under full sun to partial shade, in dry to moderately moist areas.
  • USDA zone: 1 - 8

James H. Miller@ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / James H. Miller and Karl V. Miller. 2005. Forest plants of the southeast and their wildlife uses. University of Georgia Press., Athens.
Chamaecrista fasciculate [***]
Partridge pea
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to reach a height and spread of 2 - 3 feet.
  • Grows best under full sun or partial shade.
  • The flowers (1.5 inches) are yellow, and some stamens are with violet anthers. The flowers bloom from early summer to mid fall.
  • The blue green leaves are alternate. Each leaf is divided into up to 15 pairs of leaflets.

photo by Larry Allain, National Wetlands Research Center, USGS		 Coreopsis tripteris [**] [***]
Tall coreopsis
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to a height and spread of 8 feet.
  • Tall coreopsis grows well under full sun in dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Flowers are yellow with brown centers, and they bloom from July to September.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Dichanthelium clandestinum [*] [***]
Deertongue
  • This perennial grows from 3 to 8 feet tall.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun or partial shade.
  • Flowers bloom from May to September.
  • Deertongue have wide leaves up to 7 inches long, that resemble a deer's tongue.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

photo by Larry Allain, National Wetlands Research Center, USGS		 Elymus Canadensis [*] [**] [***]
Canada wild rye
  • Canada wild rye is an ornamental grass reaching a height up to 5 feet with a spread up to 3 feet.
  • This plant grows best under full sun, in dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Greenish flowers bloom from July to September, and they are up to 6 inches long.
  • Leaves are bluish-green to green, and they are 3/4 inch wide.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

Robert Soreng @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Festuca rubra [**] [***]
Red fescue
  • Red fescue is a perennial grass that grows to 2 feet tall.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun to light shade in moderately moist soil.
  • Greenish flowers bloom in mid spring.
  • The wiry and narrow leaves are bright green.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 6

Thomas G. Barnes, University of Kentucky		 Helianthus angustifolius [***]
Narrow leaf sunflower
  • This perennial grows to 6 feet tall.
  • Narrow leaf sunflower grows best under full sun or partial shade, in moist soil.
  • Flowers have yellow rays with reddish brown discs (2 to 3 inches wide), and they bloom in late summer and fall.
  • The leaves are 3 to 6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
  • USDA zone: 6 - 9

William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Heliopsis helinthoides [**] [***]
Oxeye sunflower
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to a height of 3 - 6 feet and has a spread of 2 - 4 feet.
  • Oxeye sunflower grow best under full sun, in dry to moderately moist soil.
  • The flowers are 2 - 3 inches wide, and are orange-yellow with brown centers. Bloom period is from June to August.
  • Leaves are medium green, and are up to 5 inches long.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

photo by Larry Allain, National Wetlands Research Center, USGS		 Koeleria macrantha (cristata) [*] [**] [***]
Prairie junegrass
  • Prairie junegrass is an ornamental grass that achieves 1-2 feet in height and 0.75-2 feet in spread.
  • This plant grows best under full sun in dry to medium soil.
  • Flowers bloom from May to June. The leaves (up to 7 inches long) are medium to bright green, and may be tinged with gray green.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

Thomas G. Barnes, University of Kentucky		 Lespedeza capitata [**] [***]
Butterfly milkweed
  • This herbaceous perennial plant grows to 4 feet tall with a spread of up to 2 feet.
  • Butterfly milkweed grows best in dry to moderately moist sites with full sun to partial shade.
  • The flowers are creamy white with magenta spot, and bloom from July to September
  • The leaves are green to gray-green, and they trifoliate, alternate, and are hairy.
  • USDA zone: 4 - 8

Thomas G. Barnes, University of Kentucky		 Liatris aspera [**] [***]
Rough blazingstar
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to 2 - 3 feet and spreads to 1 - 2 feet.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun in dry to medium soil.
  • Purple flowers that bloom from August to October are approximately 3/4 inches, with leaves up to 12 inches in length.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

photo by Larry Allain, National Wetlands Research Center, USGS		 Liatris spicata [**] [***]
Spiked blazingstar
  • Spiked blazingstar is an herbaceous perennial plant that grows to 4 feet height with a 2 foot spread.
  • This plant grows best in full sun and moderately moist soil.
  • Flowers are red-purple, about 3/4 inches wide, and bloom approximately from July through August.
  • Narrow, grass-like leaves are up to 12 inches long, and are medium green in color.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Lupinus perennis [***]
Wild blue lupine
  • Wild blue lupine is a perennial plant that grows to 2 feet in height.
  • This plant grows best under full sun, in dry soil.
  • Deep blue or purple flowers bloom from April to June.
  • The leaves are palmately divided into 7 to 11 leaflets, and are about 1/2 inch in width.
  • This plant can be very poisonous to livestock
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

W.L. Wagner @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database 		Monarda fistulosa [**] [***]
Wild bergamot
  • This herbaceous perennial plant reaches a height of 2 - 4 feet with a spread of 2 - 3 feet.
  • Wild bergamot grows best in full sun or partial shade, in dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Blooming period is July to September, and the flowers are pink or lavender.
  • The leaves are grayish-green, toothed and oblong. They are aromatic, and can be used in teas.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

James H. Miller@ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / James H. Miller and Karl V. Miller. 2005. Forest plants of the southeast and their wildlife uses. University of Georgia Press., Athens.		 Panicum virgatum [**] [***]
Switchgrass
  • Switchgrass is an ornamental grass that grows to 3 - 6 feet in height and 2 - 3 feet in spread.
  • This plant grows best in full sun or partial shade sites, with medium to wet soil.
  • Flowers are pink, and they bloom from July to February.
  • The leaves are green, but they turn yellow in fall and fade to tan-beige in winter.
  • USDA zone: 5 - 9

William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Penstemon digitalis [**] [***]
Tall white beardtongue
  • This plant is an herbaceous perennial that grows to 5 feet in height and 2 feet in spread.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun, in dry to medium moist soil conditions.
  • Flowers are white, to 1 1/4 inches, and bloom from April to June.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

Courtesy RareBird Nursery		 Penstemon laevigatus [***]
Tall white beardtongue
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to 1 - 3 feet in height.
  • It grows best in full sun to partial shade.
  • Flowers (to 1.2 inches) are pale purple to almost white, and they bloom from late spring to mid summer. Leaves are up to 5 inches long.
  • USDA zone: 5 - 8

Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Physostegia virginiana [**] [***]
Obedient plant
  • This perennial grows best in full sun or partial shade, in moist areas.
  • Flowers are pale lavender or pink, about 1 inch in diameter, and bloom from late summer through autumn.
  • Leaves are dark green above and lighter green below, and are 2 to 6 inches long.
  • This plant can be an aggressive colonizer, especially in rich and moist soils
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

Courtesy Missouri Botanical PlantFinder		 Pycnanthemum virginianum [**] [***]
Virginia mountainmint
  • This is an herbaceous perennial with height of 2 -3 feet and spread of 1 - 2 feet.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun with moderately moist soil.
  • White flowers bloom from July to September. Leaves are narrow and toothless.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 7

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Rudbeckia fulgida [*] [**] [***]
Orange coneflower
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to 2 to 3 feet in height and spread.
  • Orange coneflower grows best in full sun and dry to medium moist soil conditions.
  • Flowers are yellowish orange with dark brown center (to 2 1/2 inches in diameter), and bloom period is from June to October.
  • Leaves are medium green in color, and oblong to lanceolate in shape.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

Martin van der Grinten @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Rudbeckia hirta [**] [***]
Black eyed Susan
  • Black eyed Susan is an herbaceous perennial plant with height of 2 - 3 feet and spread of 1 - 2 feet.
  • This plant grows best under full sun, in moderately moist soil.
  • Flowers are yellowish orange with dark brown center (to 3 inches in diameter), and bloom from June to September.
  • Leaves (to 7 inches long) are rough, hairy, and lance-shaped.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 7

William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Rudbeckia triloba [**] [***]
Brown eyed Susan
  • Like Black eyed Susan, this plant is an herbaceous perennial plant reaching heights of 2 - 3 feet with a spread of 1 - 2 feet, growing best under full sun, in moderately moist soil.
  • Flowers (to 1 1/2 inches in diameter) are yellow with brown-purple centers, and bloom from July to October.
  • The leaves are thin and rough-textured on both sides.
  • USDA zone: 4 - 8

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Schizachyrium scoparium [*] [**] [***]
Little bluestem
  • Little bluestem is an ornamental grass that grows to 4 feet in height and spreads up to 2 feet.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun, in dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Purplish bronze flowers bloom starting August through February.
  • Leaves are green with a tinge of blue at the base.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

Courtesy Nearctica.com		 Senna hebecarpa [***]
Wild senna
  • This is an herbaceous perennial that grows to 6 feet tall, and tolerates full sun or partial shade, in moist to mesic soil.
  • Flowers (3/4 inch wide) are yellow, and they bloom from mid to late summer.
  • Leaves are medium to dark green, and are approximately 3/4 inch wide.
  • USDA zone: 5 - 9

Thomas G. Barnes, University of Kentucky		 Solidago juncea [**] [***]
Early goldenrod
  • This herbaceous perennial reaches a height of 2 - 4 feet with a spread of 2 - 3 feet.
  • Early goldenrod grows best under full sun in dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Yellow flowers bloom from July to August.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 8

photo by Larry Allain, National Wetlands Research Center, USGS		 Solidago nemoralis [***]
Gray goldenrod
  • This herbaceous perennial grows to 3 feet tall.
  • It performs best in full sun to partial shade, in moderately moist soil.
  • Yellow flowers bloom from July to October; the grayish green leaves are hairy.

Courtesy Missouri Botanical PlantFinder		 Solidago rigida [**]
Stiff goldenrod
  • This herbaceous perennial is 3 - 5 feet in height and spreads 1 - 3 feet.
  • Best growth occurs under full sun in moderately moist soil.
  • Yellow flowers (approximately 1/2 inches wide) bloom from August to September.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database		 Sporobolus heterolepis [*] [**] [***]
Northern prairie dropseed
  • This is an ornamental grass with an average height and spread of 2 - 3 feet.
  • Northern prairie dropseed grows best under full sun and dry to moderately moist soil.
  • Flowers are pink and brown-tinted, and they bloom from August to October.
  • Leaves are medium green, and they grow to 20 inches tall and 1/16 inch wide.
  • USDA zone: 3 - 9


For more detailed plant description and better photos, click on [*] to go to the CU Allstar Groundcovers! website, [**] to go to the MBG Kemper Garden PlantFinder, or [***] to go to the USDA PLANTS Database.

Footnote: Although not all of the species listed in this table are warm season grasses or plant materials, many of them are. Others are included in these mixtures because they are native species, or perform well in a mixture of species.

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