Delve into shortgrass prairie plants

By Ted Schaaf
Gardens on Spring Creek

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Shortgrass prairies evolved in dry climates where 12 to 15 inches of rain falls annually. The prairie's climate has low humidity, high evaporation rates and periods of severe drought.

Sound familiar? So why not recreate a bit of this native ecosystem in our own yards? The advantages can be stunning. Instead of working against nature, as most of our landscapes do, prairies once established will give years of low maintenance, low water use, color and texture.

Grasses

The key element in every prairie is the grass itself. The grasses listed grow less then 6 inches in height. The most common grass used is buffalo grass, which can be direct seeded or purchased as plugs. Plugs are small plants grown in plug trays, usually over 100 plants per a 10-by-20-inch tray. I've had great luck using plugs that are directly planted into ground. This grass is a warm-season, sod-forming grass. Unlike blue grass, however, it will not green up until mid-May.

The companion to this grass is the blue grama grass, another short, warm-season grass. Unlike buffalo grass, it's a bunch grass with very attractive seed heads that look like eye lashes. As a companion to buffalo grass, it will fill in the bare spots that can sometimes be found when buffalo grass is planted by itself. Blue grama can be purchased either by plugs or by seed. These two grasses can be found in many southwestern gardens, especially around the Santa Fe, N.M., area.

Wildflowers

The beauty of a shortgrass prairie is that there are many prairie wildflowers that can be planted within native grasses. One of my favorites is the prairie coneflower. This beautiful flower is yellow or red and is held high on long, slender stems that dance in the slightest breeze.

The stunning blanket flower, named after the colorful Native American blankets, has large, daisy-like flowers. Flowers can be solid yellow or bi-colored with bold red centers. They bloom prolifically throughout the summer.

There are few flowers that match the blue splendor of blue flax. One-inch, sky-blue flowers open on arching wiry stems. Flowers do, however, fade as the afternoon sun heats up the day.

Gay feather is a lavender flower held high on sturdy lateral spikes. A late-season flower that announces that fall is fast approaching, its flower spikes are surrounded by basal tufts of narrow grass-like leaves. Butterflies find this plant especially appealing.

The Missouri evening primrose has eye-popping, lemon-yellow flowers that open from red flower buds. Leaves are lance shape with a soft, silky appearance. Seedpods are an interesting, winged capsule. All flowers will self-seed themselves throughout the grasses.

Woody plants

Grasslands can support a limited number of woody plants. Perhaps my favorite is the Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa). Apache plume has evolved to handle drought due to its silvery thread-like leaves. Single white rose-like flowers are followed by plume-like seeds heads. I like to plant Apache plume where the evening sunlight will backlight the seed heads as they sparkle like diamonds.

Lead plant (Amorpha canescens) is an attractive plant with fern-like foliage. In mid-summer this plant explodes with violet spikes at the end of each stem. Flower spikes remain attractive throughout the season. Lead plant will be slow to leaf out, but it's well worth the wait.

The most common plant along the plains is the rabbit brush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus). Thanks to hybridizing, there are several varieties that will stay under 2 feet. Slender, blue-green stems hold needle-like leaves of the same color. Bright golden flowers occur in late fall, providing a valuable nectar source for migrating butterflies.

Maintenance

It's been documented that buffalo grass requires 75 percent less water than bluegrass lawns. Some additional watering will benefit this grass by keeping it green; however, its natural response is to go dormant during times of drought.

Weeds will find their way into native grasses. Weeding of annual weeds and perhaps spot spraying of perennial weeds will be needed. Weeds are the first to green up each spring, making them easy to identify.

Removing spent flowers, especially on blanket flowers, can extend perennial wildflowers' bloom time. Blue flax, if cut down to about 6 inches after blooming, will often re-bloom come late summer. Woody plants will benefit from the same type of pruning given to other ornamental shrubs.

Although most agree it is not necessary to mow native grasses, some city ordinances require grasses to be kept within a required height. A light trimming several times per year, using a string trimmer, should satisfy most urban ordinances.

Happy gardening!

Ted Schaaf is the horticulturist for the city's Gardens on Spring Creek, located off Centre Avenue about one-half mile south of Prospect Road in Fort Collins.