Sporobolus heterolepis, commonly known as prairie dropseed, is a warm-season grass that grows in clumps. This prairie grass is native to regions from Quebec to Saskatchewan, extending southward to Colorado, Texas and Connecticut. The medium-green leaves of this grass are fine-textured and hair-like. They typically form a foliage mound that is 15 inches tall and 18 inches wide, with arching growth. The foliage turns golden with orange hues in the fall and fades to light bronze in the winter. In late summer, branching flower panicles with pink and brown tints appear on slender stems that rise up to 30-36 inches above the foliage clump. These flowers are particularly notable for their unique fragrance, which has hints of coriander. The mature seeds are tiny and rounded and drop to the ground from their hulls in autumn, giving rise to the descriptive common name.
Prairie dropseed is easy to grow in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. It can tolerate a wide range of soils, including heavy clays, but prefers dry, rocky soils. It has good drought tolerance but is slow-growing and slow to establish. Although it may be grown from seed, it does not freely self-seed in the garden.
