 | Big Bluestem Big bluestem, or turkey foot, is so named because of large size, bluish color and seed heads, which frequently branch into three parts resembling a turkeys foot. This warm season, perennial, tall grass has short scaly rhizomes. Coarse seed stalks reach 3-8 feet in height, with numerous large leaves ¼-½ inch wide, often covered with hairs. Plants remain green throughout the summer, turning red or purple with maturity. Big bluestem, a native of North America, is found naturally in most states. Its primary range is the Central and Southern Great Plains, where it often grows in nearly pure stands, typifying the lowland tall grass communities. It occurs in the western portion as small patches in protected areas having more than normal supplies of soil moisture. It is among the best of the prairie grasses on quality and quantity of forage produced. Quality declines with curing, and abundance will quickly decrease with frequent mowing or with heavy grazing pressure. Sand bluestem, A. hallii, is a close relative of big bluestem. It can be distinguishes most easily by the dense white hairs on the seed heads. Leaves and stems tend to be more straw colored than those of big bluestem. Sand bluestem is not as palatable as big bluestem, but does provide excellent grazing. |
 | Blue Grama Blue grama, one of several grama grasses, is easily identified by seed heads that resemble a human eyebrow. In the Northern Great Plains, it cam be confused with hairy grama, but differs by not having a needle-like projection beyond the florets. Also, blue grama does not have the stiff hairs on the leaf blade margin common to hairy grama and sideoats grama; Seed heads are from 10-20 inches above the ground. Leaves are mostly nasal, curling greatly as the plant cures. Blue grama is a bunchgrass which spreads outward slowly from parent plants by tillering, frequently creating a sod appearance, especially when heavily grazed. This perennial, warm season, short grass is native throughout the Great Pains and the Southwest. In areas of its adaptation, it does best on the drier sites. It is a common associate of buffalo grass, sideoats grama, and western wheat grass. In short grass sods it frequently is the primary dominant. Elsewhere it is found with various tree and shrub communities. Blue grama is found on many soils types, but is best adapted to medium and fines textures, relatively deep soils of rolling uplands. Blue grama increases with grazing pressure in the Great Plains, frequently replacing more productive mid-and tall grasses, often eventually giving way to buffalo grass. Although normally low in productively, it is notorious, and palatable to all classes of livestock even during winter. In the Southern Great Plains blue even during winter/ In the Southern Great Plains blue grama is used extensively in mixtures for roadside renegotiation, for re-establishment of native ranges, and seeding of abandoned cropland. Although its close relative, hairy grama has wide distribution, ranging from British Columbia through Mexico, this native short grass is seldom abundant enough to be primary forage, except in Mexico and adjoining states. In northern states, hairy grama normally has a tufted appearance, but nay form sods from short rhizomes. It is an occupant of dry, sandy, and sandy loam soils. Like blue grama, it is a palatable glass, and appears to be even more resistant to grazing and drought. |
| Buffalograss Buffalograss is the only grass in the genus Buchloe and is one of the few grasses that reproduce by above ground stems, or stolons. Its also unusual in that male and female flowers are not produced on the same plant. Female plants Produce seed burs on short stems close it the ground and directly above a few leaves. Male flowers appear on thin stalks above the leaf area and look somewhat similar to the seed heads of blue grama. This native, warm season, perennial short grass is an important constituent of the Mixed Prairie on medium and fine textured soils. In the Central and Southern Great Plains and in the Southwest it can produce an abundant portion of the forage. Throughout its range, buffalo grass increases under heavy grazing pressure. Buffalograss is grazed by all classes of livestock at all seasons. Buffalograss and blue grama are very common associates, increasing with overgrazing on moderately fine soils, replacing western wheatgrass and other midgrasses. With continued overgrazing, buffalo grass will replace blue grama. Once established, it creates a tight sod; Due to its good soil cover, and drought resistance, buffalograss is frequently favored for erosion control on soils containing very little sand. In addition, this low growing grass has bin used successfully to seed lawns, picnic areas, and airport runways. | |
 | Indiangrass Indiangrass or yellow Indian grass is a native, warm season, tall grass that spreads by seed and short rhizomes. Golden-yellowish, lance-shaped, rather dense panicles are 4-12 inches long on erect stems 4-8 feet tall. Leaves are a lighter green than those of big bluestem, a common associate. Indiangrass is found in eastern Canadian province and in all but six far western states. It is most commonly associated with bluestem grasses, particularly in the Central Lowlands and western portions of the Great Plains. It is seldom a dominant, but may be found in nearly pure stands in lowlands. This grass, relished by livestock, produces excellent hay if cut before the flower stalks develop, producing almost as much as big bluestem. In recent years it has been seeded in mixtures with other native tall grasses in the true prairie region. |
 | Little Bluestem Little bluestem is a warm season, tufted, leafy, perennial bunchgrass 1-4 feet tall. Basal portions of stems and leaf sheaths are somewhat flattened and leaves are slightly folded. This feature helps distinguish little bluestem from big bluestem. In addition, little bluestem lacks hairiness on sheaths and lower portions of leaves. Visible growth usually begins in late April or early May, with seed stalks appearing in August. Leaves become bluish-green to reddish-brown at maturity. Seeds are fuzzy and fluffy white at maturity. Little bluestem often exists in nearly pure stands. Even in pure stands little bluestem maintains its bunch appearance with openness of cover between plants. This native mid-grass is broadly distributed and found naturally in most states. Primary abundance is in the Central Lowlands and the eastern edge of the Southern Great Plains and it is the dominant of many upland plant communities of the True Prairie. In South Dakota it is most important in the True Prairie and in the Black Hills. In the Mixed Prairie of the State it occurs mainly on sandy soils or on weakly developed soils especially along ridges or steep slopes. Little bluestem is an increaser in the True Prairie and a decrease in the Mixed Prairie. Livestock prefer to graze new shoots arising around the outside of older little bluestem plants. Such selective grazing, under moderate or light use, may cause the casual observer to conclude that little bluestem is not grazed. Little bluestem is extremely nutritious and relished by livestock. Grazing and farming have restricted its abundance to limited upland sites, with soils ranging from seep to shallow and rocky, and sandy to fine textured. Little bluestem makes fine hay, but consecutive years of haying are certain to reduce its abundance. |
| Prairie Sandreed Prairie sandreed or prairie sandgrass has stems that arise singly from strong scaly rootstocks, attaining tights of 2-6 feet tall. Each culm has 10-12 leaves, with flat to inrolled blades, 15-24 inches long, and tapering to a fine point. The flower head is a panicle, pale green or tan, smooth, 6-18 inches long, narrow, with erect or ascending branches; Seeds have a basal ring of white hairs half the length of the lemma. The rhizomes aid greatly in identification. They are extensive, horizontally creeping, pale whitish, stout scaly shiny with the tips sharp pointed much like a roosters spur. Prairie sandreed is a warm season grass found primarily on sands from Ontario to Alberta to New Mexico, Kansas and Indiana. Its abundance is not erosive since it is restricted to sands, sandy soils, and aggregated shales. Because of its numerous rhizomes and drought resistance it is an effective soil stabilizer. Prairie sandreed is not particularly palatable during the growing season, but it cures well on the ground and makes good winter feed for cattle. Prairie sandreed is usually considered to be a degreaser, but will increase for a time with heavy grazing pressure or where it occurs with sand bluestems and big bluestem. | |
 | Sand Dropseed This native bunchgrass grows 1-3½ feet tall, with outer stems often spreading nearly horizontally. Flower panicles nay be pyramidal, 3-14inches long, open near the top and spreading, with the lower part of some panicles enclosed in the leaf sheaths. Short, wide, sharply pointed leaves are rough on the surface and mostly confined to the lower half of mature plants. A conspicuous dense tuft of white hair at the leaf blade base is an easily recognized identifying characteristic. Flowering occurs in late summer. Upper leaves become frayed and white when dry, and whip in the wind creating a flagging effect. Sand dropseed ids a native of most of the United States and Mexico. It is associated with a great variety of vegetation types primarily on sandy soil having openness of cover. It often occurs in large amounts on abandoned cropland. Sand dropseed is a prolific seed producer and has high drought tolerance. These features may account for its raped return on overgrazed and sought-injured ranges. Although livestock prefer it to a lesser extent than many other grasses, it is readily grazed prior to maturity. A close relative of sand dropseed is tall dropseed, S. asper, which in most resects, is similar in appearance to sand dropseed. However, tall dropseed can be distinguished from sand dropseed by the former having narrow panicles, often taller and coarser growth, and long, marrow leaves. Basal leaves of tall dropseed are up to 20 inches long, while those of sand dropseed are 2-8 inches long. In addition, the tuft of hairs at the leaf blade base in tall dropseed is not as conspicuous as it is in sand dropseed. Tall dropseed is a component of the Mixed Prairie and lowland prairie communities. It is very drought resistant, nut seldom is abundant, except during periods of drought. It reportedly decreases with increasing grazing pressure. Forage value is fair to good. |
 | Sideoats Grama Sideoats grama takes its name from the oat-like florets that appear to hang from the seed stalk along one side. Flower stalks seldom exceed 3 feet tall. Leaves normally are flat, with stiff hairs along the leaf blade edges. With curing, basal leaves curl and turn white. The entire plant may take on a light reddish appearance late in the summer and fall, similar to the somewhat darker red bluestems. This native, warm season, perennial, midgrass is found throughout the United States. Sideoats grama is a sod forming grass, but the short, scaly rhizomes patent give side oats grama a bunchy appearance. It is a major component of ranges of the Central and Southern Great Plains, commonly growing in association with the bluestems. Elsewhere it is found with ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper as well as semi-desert and desert shrub communities. Sideoats grama is relished by all classes if livestock. Where it grows in association with little bluestem, side oats grama usually increases with heavy grazing pressure, but with prolonged heavy grazing it may give away to blue grama and /or increasing or invading forbs. It is not as brought tolerant as blue grama. Several selections of side oats grama have been made including Pierre sideoats grama. In the Central and Southern Great Plains it is seeded in mixtures with other warm season grasses. |
 | Switchgrass Switchgrass, a native, warm season, sod forming grass, is a frequent dominant of lowlands. The rather large teardrop shaped seeds are borne in open panicles on coarse stems reaching 3-6 feet tall. Identification is simplified by a V-shaped patch of hair on the upper surface of the leaf blade near the e tem. Numerous scaly creeping rhizomes enable this plant to form dense colonies. Switchgrass is found in eastern Canadian provinces and in all states except five in the far West and Northwest. It roaches its greatest abundance throughout the bluestem belt of the Central Lowlands of the Great Plains. In addition to the bottomland strains, an upland strain is also recognized. Unlike prairie cord grass, which grows in nearly pure communities, switch grass may have an understory of Kentucky bluegrass and sedges. In recent years varieties of switch grass have been favored for seeding warm season upland pastures in areas previously occupied by True Prairie communities. When seeded, bluestems, indiangrasss, and sideoats grama are frequently included on the mixture. lAthough not as palatable as some grasses, swichgrass is consumed by livestock as long as the stems remain green. Even after maturity, leaves and seed heads are readily eaten. In wet lowlands, switchgrass makes excellent yields of good quality hay and often con be harvested twice a summer. |