Sporobolus heterolepsis – Prairie Dropseed

The most elegant of the prairie grasses. Grows slowly to form a flowing mound of threadlike leaves with lightly fragrant flowers that rise high above the foliage. In fall the leaves turn a glowing pumpkin-orange color then fade to a light copper over the winter. Long-lived, trouble-free and just keeps getting bigger for decades without any center dieback or need for renewal. Sufficiently refined to merit a place in the formal garden, but also a natural for prairies and meadows. It’s been very successful on the green roof over our potting pavilion.