prairie primer - learningstore.uwex.edulearningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/g2736.pdf · food chain....

Primer

G2736

Stan Nichols

Lynn Entine

Evelyn Howell

Prairie

ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The prairie begins… . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

And almost ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

An extreme climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Fire preserves the prairie . . . . . . . . . . 4

Distinctive animal life . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Wisconsin prairies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Prairie variations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

A parade of plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

How the prairie plant survives . . . . . . . 9

Reading the prairie landscape . . . . . . . 10

Grasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Forbs and shrubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Where to find prairie remnants . . . . . . 40

How to grow your own . . . . . . . . . . 42

The prairie landscaper . . . . . . . . . . 46

Managing a prairie planting. . . . . . . . 52

The useful prairie . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Becoming more involved . . . . . . . . . 55

Index of prairie plant illustrations. . . . . 56

Prairie bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

IntroductionPrairie refers to a unique ecological

system. As with all ecosystems, theparts—climate, plants, animals—

are interrelated and constantlychanging. Prairie is characterized by aplant cover of grasses and wildflowers,rather than trees or shrubs. Prairieanimals have specially adapted to thriveon “grasslands” rather than in forests orwetlands.

“Prairie” is the French word formeadow. The early French explorers hadno other word to describe the open,grass-covered, treeless landscape theyfound in middle North America.Neither did the English settlers; theyadopted the name prairie.

Each year, prairies converted the sun’senergy into a wild forage crop sufficientto feed, over their original expanse, 30million bison—from 40-pound calves to2,000-pound bulls. The prairie sup-ported a wide variety of animal life andsoil fertility gradually built up.

The prairie has largely disappeared fromthe Middle West, but there is a strongand growing interest in preserving andrestoring it, and in enjoying the aes-thetic and economic values the prairieaffords us.

The prairiebegins...The Rocky Mountains rose

80–100 million years ago, andthe sea which covered central

North America retreated. The moun-tains significantly altered the climate,and the complex environment charac-teristic of the prairie was formed.Although little is known about theirevolution (because herbaceous plants aredifficult to trace through fossil records),prairie plants seem to have evolved inthis special climate from surroundingvegetation.

A land bridge formed between NorthAmerica and Asia about 35,000 yearsago when the sea level fell 300 feet.Forerunners of the camel and horsemigrated from America, but elephants,bison, bear, deer and humans migratedto the continent. The prehistoric NativeAmericans, living on the prairie, werefarmers and gatherers. They dependedon produce from garden plots or gath-ered from the wild for their livelihood.Our written history records the morerecent plains Indians as hunters. Butmany of them were eastern forest tribesdriven onto the prairie by European settlement.

1

AcknowledgmentsThe authors wish to thank JerrySchwarzmeier, the late JamesZimmerman and Darrel Morrison forvaluable aid and information in pro-ducing this publication. Many of thethoughts presented here are theirs,gleaned from lecture notes, researchresults and much conversation.Quotations from prairie observers werecollected by Roberta Sladky. ElaineAndrews, Meg Gores and Sheila Vosshelped to keep the project moving. Theauthors also express their gratitude toMindy Habecker, Wayne Pauly, DanWilson and Tom Wilson for reviewingthe manuscript

Stan NicholsLynn EntineEvelyn Howell

Richard Nelson, in an unpublishedpaper, writes:

There was a day when the wind blewfree and strong off the Gulf of Mexicoand onto the prairies. These vast grass-lands offered no trees or mountains tostop the breeze and it blew from whatis now Texas northward for 2,000miles to the Arctic forests of Alberta.The wind whipped the mighty land ofgrass into undulating oceans of green.It blew dust into the eyes of a millionbuffalo and grizzled the hair of theantelope. It whistled and whirledthrough a thousand prairie dog townsand rocked meadowlarks on theirslender perches. From the lands of theBlackfoot, Hidatsa and Pawnee to thedomain of the Cheyenne, Kiowa andComanche, the wind blew and the sunshone above. This was the prairie.

Then the ocean breezes carriedEuropeans to this new land. A millionsquare miles of grassland became amillion square miles of checkerboardgrain fields and grazing lands. Thewind erased the last trace of the wan-dering buffalo and the native Indianwho followed it relentlessly. Today, thefences of zoos confine the formerdenizens of the grassland, and pavedhighways pass through the sterile landsof Indian reservations. The plants ofthe prairie today can be seen only inforgotten corners of grain fields, alongunused roadsides, or in a tiny tract ofa university arboretum. What theprairie farmer could not plow he usedfor his cattle, which ate the tenderstalks of the tall grass and allowed it to

be replaced by weeds and dust. Thewind still blows free, but it finds a dif-ferent land today. The prairies aregone…

The vast Midwestern grassland is gone,but the prairie is neither lost nor forgotten.

The most rapid changes in the prairiehave come in the last 200 years. Nativegrasses have been replaced by corn;bison, deer and other grazers have givenway to cattle; Native Americans havebeen replaced by European immigrants.

An extremeclimateThe prairie climate is influenced by

the rain shadow of the Rockies.The prairie is a land of extreme

variability—warm, dry summers andcold, dry winters. Rainfall varies from 40inches per year on the eastern border to10 inches per year on the western edge ofthe prairie. Temperatures may hitsummer highs of more than 110° F, andwinter lows of -40° F. Temperature canrise or drop as much as 60° F in only afew hours with a chinook wind in springor an advancing cold front in winter. And in places the wind blows almostconstantly.

Over time, prairie plants have survivedclimatic changes, fire and drought, andtoday’s plants have adapted to harshconditions.

3

The North American prairie. . . It occupies that part of our continent between the forest and the desert, betweenrain and drought. It was once continuous from Indiana to the Rockies, in landswhere corn and cows have taken its place.

and its vegetation

2 P R A I R I E P R I M E R

short grass

mid-grassmountains desert tall grass

prairie forest border

And almost ends

Animals make up the portion ofthe prairie ecosystem which uses,either directly or secondarily, the

tremendous supply of plant materialproduced on the prairie.

The giant of the prairie beasts is thebison or buffalo. An estimated 30million of these animals occupied theoriginal grassland. These largegrasseaters were relatively low on thefood chain. They were pursued bywolves, and when they died their boneswere picked clean by coyotes, foxes,magpies and insects. Bison, elk and deerfed on the grasslands of Wisconsin.Mountain sheep were common to theplains farther west. With the settlementof prairies, all were pushed into remoteareas.

The courser of the plains is the prong-horn or antelope, a creature distinctiveto North America. Keen eyesight andgreat speed aid its survival in openterrain.

A number of animals live under theprairie, rather than on top of it. Thebest known of these is the prairie dog.Others include the badger, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel and a wide varietyof rodents. Snakes and reptiles seekshelter and food in rodent holes. Theblack-footed ferret, perhaps the rarestprairie mammal, is a predator adaptedto seeking out animals in these burrows.

Among the most conspicuous birds ofthe grassland are those which hunt for aliving. Eagles, hawks, owls and otherfeathered predators take advantage ofthe open skies to capture prey.

The prairie offers a north-south corridorfor many migratory species. It is a rela-tively safe corridor, with no greatexpanses of desert or open water tocross. The prairie chicken, dickcissel andbobolink, among others, are distinctivebirds becoming rare as the prairieshrinks.

In sheer number, insects are the mostimportant “animals” in the grasslands.More insect species are found in theprairie than in any other ecosystem.Some aid flower pollination; others,such as grasshoppers, are the primaryherbivores. Grasshoppers form the baseof many food chains, but they can alsobe a scourge of agricultural crops as inthe great locust plagues from 1874 to1877.

Each species prefers a different diet, pro-viding myriad food chain relationshipsamong the diverse prairie plants andanimals.

5

Prairie fires were caused naturally bylightning, or started by Indians todrive game, kill unwanted insects,

make better pastures and make traveleasier.

The prairie wildfire must have been amagnificent spectacle—beautiful butthreatening. Alfred Brunson, aMethodist circuit rider, writing in 1835,described it this way:

The last twelve miles we traveled aftersundown and by firelight over Prairie,it being on fire. This was the grandestscene I ever saw, the wind blew a galeall day, the grass was dry…. In highgrass, it sometimes burns 30 feet high,if driven by fierce winds. By light ofthis fire, we could read fine print for1⁄2 a mile or more.1

Prairie fires are very intense. They canheat surface soils to temperatures hotterthan 400° F in a minute or two. But thesoil is a good insulator and the firestravel quickly. At depths of as little as1⁄2 inch, the soil temperature may beunaltered.

In 1861, Nicholas A. Woods wrote thatto escape fires on large prairies one hadto “ride madly before the wind” tenmiles ahead of the flames while lightingsmall fires. In that way, the rider couldstay on the scorched path and escape theflames. This course of action was impos-sible if the fire occurred in June whenthe grass was tallest because the pathwould be too hot for a horse to stepdown on. In such cases, the only thingto do was “to stay and disembowel thehorse, and literally creep into the cavitytill the flames have passed…. There areinstances of this resource having some-times saved the lives of Indians andhunters…”2

Prairie plants have lived with fire a longtime. They store their food and growingbuds underground, ready to go back towork once the fire passes. Plant growthis enhanced by recycling of nutrients,quicker warming of black soils, andremoval of dead material by fire. Firesalso maintain the prairie in many areas,keeping the invading forest at bay.


Distinctive animal lifeFire preserves the prairie

1Angle, Paul. Prairie State: Impressions of Illinois, 1673-1967 by Travelers and Other Observers, p. 162, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1968

2Woods, Nicholas. The Prince of Wales In Canada and the U.S., pp. 301–302, 1861.

The prairie is divided into fivetypes; wet, wet mesic, mesic, drymesic, and dry, depending on the

type of soil and amount of moisture.There is no sharp distinction betweenthe types; one blends imperceptibly intothe next. On moist soils, the prairiebecomes marshland, dominated bysedges rather than grasses. Prairie fre-quently grades into oak forest through atransition zone, the oak savanna.

Each plant species has individual prefer-ences for soil type, moisture and avariety of other factors. As habitatsdiffer in the prairie, so do plant species.One must use care, however, whenreading the prairie landscape. Someplants are particular about where theylive and make good indicators of thetype of prairie. Others are tolerant of awide range of conditions.

7

Wisconsin lies on the north-eastern boundary of the“Great American Grassland.”

The prairies of Wisconsin include someof the most interesting and least knownof our native landscapes. Wisconsinprairies are located within a triangle cor-nered by Racine County on the east,Grant County on the west, and PolkCounty on the north. They once occu-pied the greatest area in the south-western corner of the state. Many of thelarger and more important prairiesreceived distinctive names: Rock Prairiein Rock County, Arlington Prairie inDane County and Star Prairie in St.Croix County.


Wet prairie species Mesic prairie species Dry prairie species

Wet mesic

Dry mesic

Lots of water, deep clay,silt loam or peat soil

Wet prairie

Medium amount of water, deep silt loam or sandyloam soil

Mesic prairie

Sand or limestonewith shallow soil

Dry prairie

S O I L T Y P E A N D A M O U N T O F M O I S T U R E

T Y P E O F C O M M U N I T Y

Prairie variationsWisconsin prairies

(Illustration from: Guide to Arboretum Prairies)Original Wisconsin prairies

M olded by fire, extremes of heatand cold, wind and very dryconditions, prairie plants have

evolved into specialized organisms—organisms adapted to conserving waterand surviving fire. How do they do it?

1. Prairie plants put two-thirds of theirgrowth underground. Long rootsreach deep into the soil for moisture;food reserves are protected fromabove-ground extremes (see figurebelow).

2. Prairie plants keep exposure of above-ground parts to a minimum. Theyhave leaves that are finely divided,slender, vertical, or that can be curledor rolled; or they have fuzzy hairs onstems or leaves and sticky plant juicesto prevent water loss.

3. Most prairie plants are perennials—staking out and holding their terri-tory from year to year.

4. Some plants avoid survival problemsby completing their entire life cyclein a few moderate weeks of spring. Afew form hard seed covers to protectseeds until conditions are proper forgermination.

5. Pollination takes advantage of theconstant wind and the abundantinsect life found on the prairie.

6. Fire may wither the leaves and stemsand remove the previous year’sgrowth, but large root systems andunderground buds allow prairie plantsto spring back to life immediately.

9

“…In early stages of its growth, thegrass is interspersed with littleflowers, the violet, the strawberry

blossom and others of the most delicatestructure. When the grass grows higher,these disappear, and taller flowers dis-playing more lively colors, take theirplace; and still later, a series of stillhigher but less delicately formed flowersappear on the surface.” (Captain BasilHall, 1827)3

Prairie grasses and plants parade theirfloral colors across the landscape fromthe first prairie willow of April to thelast bottle gentian in late September.They march quickly. About 17 newspecies come into flower each week,bloom for a short time, and move on toseed production. This rapid successionreduces competition and gives eachplant its time and place in the sun. Italso keeps pollinators busy all season byallowing insects to have a continuousdiet—without periods of overwork orstarvation.


S P R I N G S U M M E R FA L L

Trees 40%

Prairie grass33%

Lawn grass50%

G R OW T H A B OV E G R O U N D

60%

67%

50%

G R OW T H B E L OW G R O U N D

How the prairie plant survivesA parade of plants

(Illustration from: Guide to Arboretum Prairies)

Grass is short. Earlyblooming plants don’thave to be very high to get sunlight.

Grass is much taller. Mostblooming plants are as tall asthe grass. Spring bloomersare dying down to rest untilnext year. It is very shadyunder the dense tall grass, sovery few seedlings survive.

Many blooming plants arequite tall—up to 10 feet.

3Captain Basil Hall 1827-28 from Hunter, Joan “Prairie Splendors,” The Living Museum, Vol. XXX, No. 1, Springfield, Illinois.

1 1

To “read” the prairie you have toknow some of the characteristicplants. The more than 50

prairie species illustrated in the fol-lowing section provide a basic “vocabu-lary” for the beginner. Some plants aregrasses, some are shrubs, and some areforbs (wildflowers). Some of the speciesare general prairie plants found in avariety of prairie types. Others aremore specific, showing distinct prefer-ences for limited conditions. They varyin size, color and flowering period. Tohelp you understand the terminologyused in the plant descriptions, the dia-grams on these two pages show parts ofgrasses and other plants.

1 0 P R A I R I E P R I M E R

seed head

flower (floret)

flower cluster(spikelet)

awn

node

sheath

ligule

shoot

leaf blade

flower head

terminalend of plant

bract

stipule

blade

petiole(leaf stalk)

simple leaf

clasping leaf

stem compound leaf

opposite leaves

alternate leaveswhorled leaves

flower

lobed leaf

toothed leaf

deeply cut leaf

basal leaf

Reading the prairie landscape

Grasses Other plants

1 2 P R A I R I E P R I M E R 1 3

GrassesThe plant illustrations are first divided

into two groups: grasses and other

plants. The other plants are further

grouped by flower color, so that all the

plants with blue-red-purple flowers are

pictured first; then the plants with yellow-

orange flowers; and finally the plants with

white-pink-cream flowers. They are also

arranged in approximate chronologic

order depending on their flowering date,

so that, for example, blue-flowered plants

blooming in the spring are pictured before

blue-flowered plants blooming in the

summer.

Ó Junegrass (Koeleria pyramidata). 1'-2'tall. The leaf blades are narrow andthe slender stems grow in close tufts.The seed head is shiny and spike-like,1"–3" long and l⁄4"–1⁄2" thick (detail).Dry prairie, often in limey areas.

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). 2'–4' tall. The bottomshoots are bluish colored and the leafblades tend to fold. The matureplants are copper colored in the fall.The flowers are feathery and coveredwith short, white hairs. Dry-moistprairies. (Shown: seed head only—top 8" of plant) Ô

G R A S S E S 1 5

Native prairie grasses generally grow inclumps. Warm season grasses have goodfall coloration which remains noticeablethroughout the winter. Illustrationsshow the entire plant except as noted.

Needlegrass (Stipa spartea). 2'–4' tall.The 4"–6" long awns (detail) aretough and spirally twisted whenmature. Dry prairies. È

Ó Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula). 1'–3' tall. Small (1⁄4")“oatlike” seeds uniformly line oneside of the stem. The leaf blades havehairs and bumps along their edgesand the lower leaves curl and turnwhite when dry. Dry prairies.


Grasses

Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii).3'–8' tall. The seed head branchesinto three parts, resembling a turkey’sfoot. Young shoots are somewhat flat-tened at the base and the lower leavesare covered with a silky hair. Thelower leaves curl when dry and themature plants have a reddish cast inthe fall. Dry-moist prairies. (Shown:top third of plant) È

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). 4'–8'tall. There is a prominent claw-likeligule where the leaf blade attaches tothe stem (detail). The seed head is4" –8" tall and the flower clusters arefilled with short, soft, golden-brownhairs. Dry-moist prairies. (Shown:seed head only). Ó

G R A S S E S 1 7

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). 3'–6'tall. There is a prominent nest ofhairs where the leaf blade attaches tothe sheath (inset). The seed head is5"–10" tall, and basically pyramidalin form. Dry-moist prairies. (Shown: top half of the plant) È

Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus het-erolepsis). 2'–3' tall. The plant is erectwith very long, narrow leaf blades.Dry-moist prairies. Ô


G R A S S E S 1 9

Õ Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata).3'–6' tall. The long (3'–5'), narrowleaf blades taper to a whip-likepoint. The edges of the blades arerough and have short points orteeth. The flower clusters are 2"–5"long and have the flowers arrangedon one side (detail). The clusters arespirally arranged on the stem. Wet-mesic prairies.

Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis).2'–4' tall. The plant grows inclumps. The nodes are oftenswollen. Wet prairies. (Shown: tophalf of plant). Ó


Forbs and shrubs

Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum). 6"–16"tall. Blooms late April to May. Theflowers are purplish-red to pink incolor. The stems are low, soft andhairy with many deep-cut leaves.Long, feathery hairs on the seed headgive the appearance of a “puff ofsmoke.” Dry-moist prairies. È

Birdsfoot violet (Viola pedata). 3"–6"tall. Blooms April to June. Theflowers are flat, pansy-shaped andpale blue in color. The leaves aredeeply cut, disappearing in summerand developing again in fall. Dryprairies. Ô

F O R B S & S H R U B S 2 1

Blue-red-purpleDowny phlox (Phlox pilosa). 8"–24" tall.

Blooms May to June. The flowers arepinkish-purple to white in color. Theopposite leaves are stiff, narrow andsharply tapered on a slender, veryhairy stem. Dry-wet prairie on moderately acid soil. È

Pasque flower (Anemone patens).4"–10" tall. This is one of the earliestblooming prairie plants; it flowers inMarch to April. The flowers arepurple to white and appear before theleaves. The leaves are deeply cut intonarrow lobes and are covered withlong, silky hairs. Seeds have a long,feathery tail. Dry prairies. Ô


Purple meadowrue (Thalictrum dasy-carpum). 2'–7' tall. Blooms June toJuly. The flowers are purplish-brownto white in color and the stem iserect. Each leaf is composed of three,lobed leaflets, which are usuallydowny underneath. Wet-mesicprairies. (Shown: top third of plant.)È

Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). 2'–3' tall.Blooms July to August. The pale lilacto pink-purple colored flowers are ina terminal cluster. Flower heads are1"–2" across. Stems are square incross-section with paired, lance-shaped and toothed leaves.Found in all prairie types.(Shown: top half of theplant) Ô


Spiderwort (Tradescantia species), 1'–3'tall. Blooms May to July. The flowersare conspicuously three-petaled andbluish-violet to pink in color (detail).Leaves are long and narrow, formingprominent “bumps” where they jointhe stem. Dry-mesic prairies. È

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens). 18”–3'tall. Blooms June to July. The violet-to gray-colored flowers are found indense spikes 2"long and 1⁄4" wide.The numerous leaves are approxi-mately 1⁄4" long and are placed opposite each other on many smallbranches. Dry-mesic prairies. (Shown: branch of plant) Ó


Blazingstars (Liatris species). ÈAll the blazingstars bloom July toSeptember and have rosy-lilac coloredheads of flowers. The flowers bloomat the top of the stalk first and at thebase of the stalk last. The character-istic differences are as follows:

a. Cylindric blazingstar (Liatris cylindracea) is only 6"–18" tall withone or few heads of flowers. Thebracts on the flower head areshining, sharp-pointed and flat(detail). The flower heads areattached to the stem by a short stalk.Dry prairies.

b. Rough blazingstar (Liatris aspera).18"-4' tall. Numerous short-stalkedflower heads with cup-shaped bracts(detail) which arch slightly outward.The green bracts are pink- or white-tipped. Dry prairies.

c. Prairie blazingstar (Liatris pycnos-tachya). 2'–4' tall. The flower headsare numerous, dense and attacheddirectly to the stem (no short stalk).The bracts are long, sharply pointedand bent slightly outward (detail).Wet-dry prairies.

d. Spike blazingstar (Liatris spicata).18"–6' tall. The flower heads aredense and attached directly to thestem. The bracts are usually sticky,blunt-tipped and purple-edged(detail). Wet-mesic prairies; neutralto slightly acid soil.


Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea ).1'–3' tall. Blooms July to earlyAugust. The purple flowers form afringe around the base of the 1⁄2" tall,conical flower heads (detail). Thestems are slender and erect, withnumerous, narrow, compound leaves.White prairie clover (Dalea candida)is very similar but has white flowers.Mesic-wet prairies. È

Canada tick-trefoil (Desmodiumcanadense). 3'–6' tall. Blooms July toSeptember. The flowers are rose-purple in color, pea-like and appearin clusters at the ends of long stems,above the rest of the plant. The plantcan be bushy, and has clover-likeleaves. The fruits (detail) are one ofthe types of “stick-tights” found onthe prairie. Other prairie species oftick-trefoil are similar to this one.Wet-mesic prairies. (Shown: top halfof plant) Ó


a. b.

c. d.

Smooth aster (Aster laevis). 1'–3' tall.Blooms during September. Theflowers are blue-violet with yellowcenters. The stem is hairless. Theleaves are blue-green, very smoothand somewhat thick. The basal leavesare attached to the stem with a stalk;higher leaves are attached directly tothe stem (stalkless) and the upper-most leaves clasp the stem. Thesmooth aster grows on the majorityof dry-mesic prairies. È

Bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii).6"–2' fall. Blooms August toOctober. The flowers are normallyblue to white in color; occasionallythey are totally white. The leaves areopposite and the flower petals remainclosed. Wet-mesic prairies. (Shown:top two-thirds of plant) Ó


New England aster (Aster novae-angliae). 18"–8' tall. Blooms Augustto October. The large, violet to red-purple flowers with yellow centers(detail) make this one of the showiestasters. The plant is bushy and theflowers are often sticky underneath.The leaves are numerous andcrowded. They clasp the stem andhave a pleasant odor when crushed.Moist-mesic prairies. (Shown: branchof the plant) È

Silky aster (Aster sericeus). 1'-2' tall.Blooms mid-September to earlyOctober. The plant is highly orna-mental with bright reddish-purpleflowers. The small leaves have silvery-white hairs on both sides and areattached to a wiry stem. Dry to mesicprairies. Ó


Tickseed (Coreopsis palmata). 1'–2' tall.Blooms June to July. The flowers arelarge (2" in diameter) and yellow.The leaves are stiff, narrow anddeeply cut into three sections. Mesicprairie. (Shown: top two-thirds ofplant) È

Yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata).18"–5' tall. Blooms June to August.The flowering head is gray in thecenter with yellow “petals” (rayflowers) which droop downward,almost parallel to the stem. The alter-nate leaves and stem are hairy. Theleaves are deeply cut into lance-shaped segments and tend to droopslightly downwards from the stem.Dry-wet prairies. (Shown: top thirdof plant) Ó


YellowBlackeyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta).

1'–4' tall. Blooms July to August.The center of the flowering head isdark purple or brown. The “petals”(ray flowers) are orange to orange-yellow. The stems and alternate leavesare hairy. Dry-wet prairies; cansurvive on poor, acid soil and dis-turbed sites. (Shown: top half ofplant) È

Ó Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens).8"–12" tall. Blooms mid-May toearly June. The flowers are golden-yellow and tube-shaped. The plant iscovered with a dense, white down.(Shown: top two-thirds of plant)


Cupplant (Silphium perfoliatum). 3'–8'tall. Blooms July to October. Theleaves form a characteristic “cup”with the stem passing through thecenter. Wet-mesic prairies. (Shown:top third of plant) È

Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium).3'–5' tall. Blooms mid-July to lateAugust. The leaves are rough, pairedand attached directly to the stem.Silphium comes from the name of aplant that produces resin. Dryprairies. (Shown: top third of plant)Ó


All the Silphiums have a very similarflower, bright yellow in color and 2"–3"in diameter. The leaves and the habitatof the plant differentiate the four speciesnative to Wisconsin prairies.

Prairie dock (Silphium Èterebinthinaceum). 5'–7' tall, bloomsJuly to October. Large (12" wide, 16"high) heart- or arrowhead-shapedleaves grow in a clump at groundlevel. They are smooth on the frontand rough on the back. The flowerstalk is stout, without leaves and risesfrom the clump of basal leaves.Moist-dryprairies.

Ó Compassplant (Silphium laciniatum).3'–9' tall. Blooms July to September.The leaves are stiff, deeply lobed,covered with course, short hairs andgrow in a clump at ground level. Theflower stalk is stout, bristly, leaflessand rises from the clump of basalleaves. Moist-dry prairies.


Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa).2'–6' tall. Blooms August to October.The flowers are yellow and clumpdensely to form erect flower spikes.The stems are reddish, stout andusually smooth. Dry-mesic prairies,often on sandy soil. È

Saw-tooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserrsatus). 6'–10' tall. BloomsAugust to October. This plant is oneof the many sunflowers found onprairies. The stem is very smooth andwhitish. The leaves are toothed andare opposite on the lower part of thestem; alternate above. Plants formlarge, thick clumps. Wet-mesicprairies; often found on disturbedground. (Shown: top 18" of plant) Ó

3 3

Field goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis).6"–2' tall. Blooms August toOctober. The flowers are yellow andthe stems and leaves are covered withfine, gray hairs. There is usually asingle flower stem which curves toone side and is covered on the upperside with many small flowers.Spatulate leaves are found near theground. Dry prairies and disturbedfields. È

Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida). 1'–3'tall. Blooms August to early October.The yellow blooms are large and flatto slightly dome-shaped on the top.The stems and leaves are rough andcovered with dense, gray hair. Theupper leaves are stiff and attacheddirectly to the main stem. The basalleaves have long leaf stalks. Dry-mesic prairies. Ó


Wild indigo (Baptisia lactea). 2'–4' tall.Blooms in June. This species haswhite flower clusters. The plant issmooth and erect and its leaves areattached to the stem with a stalk.(Shown: branch of plant) È

A second species, creamy wild

indigo (Baptisia bracteata) isalso common to the prairie. Ithas leaves which are attached directlyto the stem or by means of a shortstalk (detail). It also has hairy stemsand leaves, and cream-coloredflowers. Moist-dry prairies.

Ó Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata). 6"–3' tall. Blooms Juneto August. The flowers are fragrant,greenish-yellow to white (detail). Theleaves are grass-like and the plant hasa milky juice. Dry-moist prairies.


White-pink-creamPrairie willow (Salix humilis). 3'–8' tall.

Blooms mid-April to early May.The flowers are white and lookvery similar to the common pussywillow (detail). The leaves are darkgreen to grey and wooly underneath.This is a woody plant with smallbranches yellowish to brown in color.Dry-wet prairies. (Shown: branch ofplant) È

Ó Shootingstar (Dodecatheon meadia).8"-2' tall. Blooms May to early June.The flowers are white to pink incolor. The petals curve sharplyupward. The red-tinged leaves arefound at the base of the plant. Theplant disappears by July. Dry-wetprairies.


Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yucci-folium). 3'–4' tall. Blooms July toearly August. The balls of flowers arewhite, hard, stiff and prickly. Thestiff leaves are long, narrow, thick andsharply pointed with spines or teethalong the margins. The seed headshave a honey-like odor. Dry-mesicprairies. (Detail: bottom of plant). È

Culversroot (Veronicastrum virginicum).3'–5' tall. Blooms early July to earlyAugust. The clusters of terminal,white flowers look candle-like. Theleaves are arranged in whorls of threeto six around the stem. Wet-mesicprairies. (Shown: top third of plant)Ó


Thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica).1'–2' tall. Blooms June to mid-July.The flowers are greenish-white towhite, and the flower stems areusually leafless. The plants are ahairy-gray color. The seed heads aredense and cylindrical (detail). Eachseed is coated with wooly hairs. Theleaves are deeply cut into five lobes.Dry-mesic prairies. È

New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus).18"–3' tall. Blooms late June to lateJuly. This plant is white-flowered,bushy and woody. The leaves arealternate, finely toothed, stiff anddowny underneath. The flowers aredensely clustered; the clusters growon long stalks. Dry-mesic prairies.(Shown: branch of plant) Ó


Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum).18"–5' tall. Blooms July to October.The white flowers grow in flat-topped, terminal clusters. The plantis hairy and the opposite leaves arejoined at their base with the stempassing through the center. Wetprairies. (Shown: top half of theplant) È

Ó Bush clover (Lespedeza capitata).2'–4' tall. Blooms August toSeptember. The yellowish-whiteflowers are bristled and densely clus-tered. The plant is covered with fine,silvery hairs and the leaves are clover-like. Dry-moist prairies.


Mountain mint (Pycanthemum virgini-anum) 2'–3' tall. Blooms late July tomid-September. The white-purplishflower heads are heavily clustered.The narrow leaves are numerous,clustered, opposite and lance-shaped.The stem is square in cross sectionand the plant has a strong mint-likeodor when crushed. Dry-wet mesic.(Shown: top two-thirds of plant) È

Ó Water hemlock (Cicuta maculata).3'–6' tall. Blooms July to August. Thisplant has white flowers arranged inflat-topped clusters, 2"–5" across. Thestems are stout and often purple-spotted. The leaves are compound andtoothed along the edges. This plant ishighly poisonous when eaten. Mesic-wet prairies. (Shown: top half ofplant)


4 1

Patches of prairie, called remnants,are scattered throughout the south-west half of Wisconsin. These rem-

nants are interesting to view and study,and serve as seed sources for restorationprojects. Want to find a remnant? Hereare some hints on where to look, how tolook, and what to look for.

Where to look:Find areas that have been neglected.

❦ Railroad rights-of-way—many raillines were built before the land wasfarmed. Burning on rights-of-wayenhanced the growth of prairiespecies.

❦ Pioneer cemeteries—if they have notbeen tidied up too much.

❦ Large wetland areas may have wet-to-dry prairies in their centers iso-lated from access by cattle ormachinery.

❦ Large areas of irregular topog-raphy—areas too steep to plow, oreven too steep to graze, especially onthe south side of hills. The steepestof these are known as “goat prairies.”

❦ Areas of poor agricultural soils.There are many prairie remnants inthe sand counties of Wisconsin.

How to look:Good maps will quickly narrow thechoices and save a lot of leg work.

❦ United States Geological Survey4

topographic maps indicate steepnessand remoteness of an area, largewetland areas and areas that are notforested.

❦ State and county maps indicatehighways that run parallel to rail-road tracks.

❦ Maps of presettlement vegetation.These maps will indicate areas thatwere prairie at the time of the orig-inal land survey. A generalized mapexists for the whole state.5

❦ Natural Resources ConservationService soil maps. Counties aremapped by soil groups. A descrip-tion of the native vegetation is givenfor each. Also look for land which is“poor” for farming.


❦ Bordner Land Cover Inventoriesmade in the 1930s and 1940s andnow incorporated into theDepartment of Natural Resources’Wisconsin Wetland Inventories.Identify the two lowest densityclasses of oak-history forests as goodplaces to look for prairie patches.

❦ Air photos—available at the NaturalResources Conservation Service orRegional Planning Commissions.These need a certain amount oftraining to interpret, but give muchmore detailed information than previous sources.

❦ Herbaria—look up prairie plants ina local or regional herbarium. Findout where they were collected.

❦ Ask a local expert—the localNatural Resources Conservationperson, county Extension agent,Department of Natural Resourcesemployee, college or high schoolscience teacher, or interested natu-ralist. Check the yellow pages in thetelephone book to find listings ofenvironmental conservation organi-zations. See “Becoming MoreInvolved” on page 55.

What to look for:Look for these indicators of prairie rem-nants, even if you know only a few ofthe characteristic species.

❦ A rich variety of flower colorsthrough the summer.

❦ Prominent orange-brown color inthe fall due to prairie grasses.

❦ Grasses in prominent clumps.

❦ Goldenrods shorter than the grassesand rarely forming dense patches orthickets.

❦ Some animal burrows and ant hills.

Where to find prairie remnants

4Wisconsin maps available from Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, 3817 Mineral Point Rd, Madison WI 53706.

5Curtis, J. T. The Vegetation of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 1959.

Establishing a natural plant commu-nity is as much an art as a science. Itrequires sensitivity, expertise, per-

sonal experience, hard work and, mostof all, perseverance over many years.

Today it is probably impossible to createa native prairie community in thestrictly scientific sense. In many areas,the large expanse that the prairieecosystem requires has been lost forever.Bison and similar grazing animals needmore space than even the largest plant-ings can provide. This should not dis-courage you, however, for plantingprairie flowers is fascinating work, andthe results you can obtain are well worththe effort.

Three steps are involved in growing aprairie: 1) creating a planting plan; 2)implementing it; and 3) managing theplanting.

Developing a planting planMost successful prairie plantings matchspecies’ habitat requirements with thesite’s environmental characteristics—things like soil texture, light levels andmoisture patterns. You’ll need to knowwhich prairie plants can survive in awide range of environments and whichrequire careful placement. Your planshould include drawings and descrip-tions of the species you want to use,

along with their proportions andarrangement. The descriptions in thisbook can give you a good start towardsunderstanding species requirements.

In addition to coordinating the speciesand the site, you should develop a set ofdesign rules. Consider aesthetic factors,such as exciting color combinations,arrangements that lead the eye to pointsof interest, and species that are in scalewith the surroundings.

The challenge of prairie landscaping isto place the native plants in a natural-looking setting. Nothing in nature isregular. Some flowers are clumped,others are dispersed. Nature rarely hassquare corners and sharp edges. Howdoes this translate into practical advice?Don’t plant your prairie on a regularpattern. Think random. Avoid sharpcorners. As the prairie approaches afence or woods, use progressively tallergrasses, forbs and shrubs to make thetransition seem gradual and natural.Finally, plan the size of the plant mate-rial to the size of the area. Large plantslook out of place in small areas.

It is important to understand the sitecharacteristics and what you wish toachieve with your planting. How closeto a native prairie community do youwant your planting to be? Your plantingcan mimic a native prairie in manyways. For example:

4 34 2 P R A I R I E P R I M E R

❦ Naturally occurring prairies arecomposed of some species thatbloom in the spring, others thatbloom in summer, and still othersthat flower in the fall. If you plantvarieties that bloom on thistimetable, you will replicate anauthentic feature of a natural prairiecommunity.

❦ Grass plants comprise more thanhalf of natural prairie groundcover.By sowing at least 50 percent ofyour planting with grasses, you canduplicate this characteristic. Use6–10 types of grasses and go easy onbig bluestem and switchgrass.

❦ Flowering species strongly out-number grass species in prairies.With this focus, a planting mightinclude four or five grasses and 40 or50 flowering species.

The arrangement of species in aplanting should be guided by observa-tions of remnant prairie communitiesand aesthetic considerations. The samedesign principles used to create peren-nial gardens can be used in prairie plant-ings—place shorter species toward thefront and taller species toward the back,and group plants to create specific coloreffects. Sketching or drawing a plan ofyour garden layout will help you visu-alize the result.

Planting the prairieOnce you’ve decided on a plan, thework begins. Carrying out your planwill involve getting rid of unwantedvegetation and providing a goodplanting medium. The size of the area,existing vegetation, soil and steepness ofthe topography will determine whichplanting techniques to use.

Most small prairies are started withseedlings or seed. A typical plantingstrategy on a small residential site couldinclude cultivating the planting area byrototilling or turning over the soilseveral times in the spring. Thisrepeated cultivation allows any weedseed that might be buried in the soil togerminate and be plowed up. Lay outold carpet or plastic to kill lawn.Seedlings and seed can then be plantedin June. Large plantings might requireplowing and disking the soil for up to ayear prior to planting.

You can purchase prairie plants andseeds from native plant nurseries orcollect seed from the wild with permis-sion. Look for plants that thrive in con-ditions similar to those in your plantingsite; these plants will probably also growwell for you.

How to grow your own


Steps to planting your prairie1. Choose a site carefully and select

plant species with requirements thatmatch the site. Hot, dry and infer-tile sites are best to limit weed com-petition. Mesic and wet sites areprone to severe weed competitionand will need additional work.

2. Till the field with a disk or field cul-tivator several times the year beforeyou plant. This will reduce competi-tion from quackgrass and otherweeds. Plow the field or site as lateas possible in the fall precedingplanting; then harrow or disk itlightly in spring of the seeding yearto prepare a seedbed and controlearly spring weeds. Seed in May.

3. On small sites, you can achieve spec-tacular results in one or two years byplanting seedlings pre-grown in agreenhouse. On medium-sized plots,broadcast the seed by hand andscratch it in with a rake. For largeareas (1⁄4 acre and up) use a graindrill adapted for sowing mixtures ofprairie seed.

4. Use local seed sources. They are bestsuited for local conditions. Seedingrates will vary depending on thespecies and the desired results. Thenumber of seeds to plant should becalculated on the basis of pure liveseeds, so germination tests might beneeded before planting.

5. Plant as many of the suitable anddesired species as possible at thestart, since “squatter’s rights” compe-tition makes the later addition ofspecies difficult. Given an even start,no species will have an advantageover another.

6. Store all seeds collected in summerand fall in a cold place for at least sixweeks before planting (unless theyare planted in fall). Some seeds arebest stored in moist sand, others indry conditions. Planting in the fall isa good idea, but not recommendedon slopes prone to erosion, whereweeds are a serious problem, orwhere animals are likely to eat theseeds. Some spring flowering plantsshould be sown immediately in Mayor June when the seeds are ripe, andwill probably “take” only in a wetsummer.

Seed should be collected after it is ripe,which means in late summer or fall formost species, or late spring to earlysummer for many spring bloomingspecies. Seed collected in the fall can bestored over the winter in cool conditionsfor spring planting, or it can be sowndirectly onto the prepared site. For bestresults, seed of spring blooming speciesshould be planted immediately after col-lection, probably in June or July.

Seed plantings are usually a mix ofseveral species. Generally, the amount ofseed determines the proportion of plantsin the area. However, since species differin their germination and establishmentrates, some came up more or less heavilythan you might expect from the propor-tions of seed. Seed sizes and weightsvary tremendously. For example, thelarge seed of legumes such as wildindigo is many times heavier than thevery tiny seed of beebalm.

With all the differences in species char-acteristics and the fact that eachplanting plan is unique, it’s hard toestablish general rules of thumb aboutseeding rates. To give an idea of thegeneral amount of material involved, atypical seed mix might be formulated ata rate of 5–8 pounds of pure live grassseed per acre for tall grasses and 3–6pounds of flowering plant seed. Onsmall sites, you can broadcast seed byhand and rake it into the soil. On larger

sites, use mechanical equipment such asspecially adapted seed drills.

Most large prairie plantings are startedfrom seed, rather than seedlings, becauseit is quicker and cheaper, given the largearea to be covered. On small sites,seedlings ranging in age from six weeksto two years are often preferred becauseit is easier to control numbers andplacement, and the prairie grows morequickly. Seedlings can be grown fromseed in flats or other containers, such asmilk cartons. Seedlings may be plantedin the fall but are usually planted in thespring to avoid problems with frost.

Specific information about plantingtechniques, propagating prairie speciesand methods of seed collection can befound in sources listed in the bibliog-raphy. Also, many private nurseries andsome landscape design firms now spe-cialize in native plantings. Much of thisinformation is summarized in the stepsthat follow. For more detailed informa-tion check the original sources.

7. Plant a fast growing, short-lived(annual or short-lived perennial)companion crop such as wild rye oroats with your prairie seeds. A com-panion crop helps crowd out weedsfor the first two years and reducessoil erosion.

8. Early establishment of dense standsof prairie grass, such as bigbluestem, Indiangrass or switchgrasshinders woody seedlings and elimi-nates field and pasture weeds, butthese dense prairie grasses will alsodiscourage some prairie plants.Disturbances caused by people oranimals create openings for prairieforbs, but also for weeds.

9. A light, clean mulch, such as strawfrom grains, applied with moderatethickness (about 1⁄2 of the visible soilsurface) is helpful, but may be hardto come by since straw is usually fullof weed seeds.

10. Much experimentation is stillneeded. The best timing of plant-ings, seed mixtures and density willvary from site to site. In some placesit may be useful to establish prairieforbs before the grasses.


Spring color in MayLess than 1 foot tall 1–3 feet tall Greater than 3 feet tall

DryPasque flower (blue) Indiangrass (green)

Birdsfoot violet (blue) Needlegrass (green)

Puccoon (orange-yellow) Big bluestem (green)

Little bluestem (green)

Sideoats grama (green)

Junegrass (green)

Prairie dropseed (green)

MesicBirdsfoot violet (blue) Indiangrass (green) Prairie willow (white)

Puccoon (orange/yellow) Needlegrass (green)

Downy phlox Big bluestem (green)(pink/purple/white)

Shootingstar (white/pink)




Switchgrass (green)

WetDowny phlox Bluejoint grass (green) Prairie willow (white)(pink/purple/white)

Shootingstar (white/pink) Cordgrass (green)

The prairie landscaperThe following table takes

the common plants dis-

cussed earlier and shows

how they might be used in a

prairie landscaping project.

Consider the size of the plant, its

color during different seasons, and

its habitat preferences. For

example, some small forbs and

grasses adapted to very dry con-

ditions grow well in exposed rock

gardens. Tall prairie grasses and

forbs fit nicely on large acreages.

As you become familiar with a

w i d e r

v a r i e t y

of prairie

p l a n t s ,

you can

e x p a n d

this list.

Midsummer, continued

Less than 1 foot tall 1–3 feet tall Greater than 3 feet tall

Mesic Thimbleweed (white) Prairie willow (green)

Whorled milkweed (white) Needlegrass (tan)

Purple prairie clover (purple) Indiangrass (green)

White prairie clover (white) Big bluestem (green)

New Jersey tea (green) Rosinweed (yellow)

Rattlesnake master (white) Compassplant (yellow)

Yellow coneflower (yellow) Prairie dock (yellow)

Canada tick-trefoil (purple)

Leadplant (violet)

Blackeyed susan (yellow)

Bergamot (lavender)

Spiderwort (blue)

Switchgrass (green)



Tickseed (yellow)

Wet Canada tick-trefoil (purple) Rosinweed (yellow)

Blackeyed susan (yellow) Prairie willow (green)

Bergamot (lavender) Bluejoint grass (green)

Spiderwort (blue) Cordgrass (green)

Mountainmint (white) Big bluestem (green)

Purple meadowrue Compassplant (yellow)(white/purple)

Culversroot (white) Prairie dock (yellow)

Yellow coneflower (yellow)

Leadplant (violet)

4 9

Early summer color/JuneLess than 1 foot tall 1–3 feet tall Greater than 3 feet tall

DryPrairie smoke (red) Prairie dropseed (green) Needlegrass (tan)

Birdsfoot violet (blue) Little bluestem (green) Indiangrass (green)

Puccoon (orange/yellow) Spiderwort (blue) Big bluestem (green)

Sideoats grama (green) Thimbleweed (white)

Junegrass (green)

MesicBirdsfoot violet (blue) New Jersey tea (white) Prairie willow (green)

Puccoon (orange/yellow) Switchgrass (green) Needlegrass (tan)

Wild indigo (cream) Little bluestem (green) Indiangrass (green)

Downy phlox Prairie dropseed (green) Big bluestem (green)(pink/purple/white)

Shootingstar (white/pink) Spiderwort (blue)

Sideoats grama (green) Thimbleweed (white)

WetDowny phlox Spiderwort (blue) Prairie willow (green)(pink/purple/white)

Shootingstar Purple meadowrue Bluejoint grass (green)(white/pink) (white/purple)

Cordgrass (green)

Big bluestem (green)

MidsummerDry Purple prairie clover Needlegrass (tan)

(purple)

Tickseed (yellow) Indiangrass (green)

Thimbleweed (white) Big bluestem (green)

Leadplant (violet) Rosinweed (yellow)

Whorled milkweed (white) Compass plant (yellow)

White prairie clover (white) Prairie dock (yellow)



Junegrass (tan)


Spiderwort (blue)



Late summer color, continued

Less than 1 foot tall 1–3 feet tall Greater than 3 feet tall

Wet Canada tick-trefoil (purple) Saw-tooth sunflower (yellow)

Blackeyed susan (yellow) Big bluestem (tan)

Prairie blazingstar (purple) Prairie willow (green)

Culversroot (white) Rosinweed (yellow)

Yellow coneflower (yellow) Bluejoint grass (green)

Bush clover (cream) Water hemlock (white)

Prairie dock (yellow)

Cupplant (yellow)

Spike blazingstar (purple)

Compassplant (yellow)

Fall colorDry Field goldenrod (yellow) Indiangrass (tan)

Silky aster (red) Big bluestem (tan)

Little bluestem (copper) Showy goldenrod (yellow)

Sideoats grama (tan) Stiff goldenrod (yellow)

Prairie dropseed (tan)

Smooth aster (blue/violet)

Bush clover (cream)

Mesic Smooth aster Saw-tooth sunflower (blue/violet) (yellow)

Little bluestem (copper) Big bluestem (tan)

Switchgrass (tan) Indiangrass (tan)

Prairie dropseed (tan) Showy goldenrod (yellow)

Silky aster (purple) Stiff goldenrod (yellow)

Bush clover (cream)

Wet New England aster Saw-tooth sunflower Bottle gentian (blue) (purple) (yellow)

Bush clover (cream) Boneset (white)

Big bluestem (tan)

Bluejoint (tan)

Cordgrass (tan)

5 1

Late summer colorLess than 1 foot tall 1–3 feet tall Greater than 3 feet

Dry Prairie blazingstar (purple) Indiangrass (tan)

Rough blazingstar (purple) Big bluestem (tan)

Cylindrical blazingstar (purple) Rosinweed (yellow)

Purple prairie clover (purple) Prairie dock (yellow)

Silky aster (purple) Compassplant (yellow)

White prairie clover (white)

Field goldenrods (yellow)

Little bluestem (copper)

Sideoats grama (tan)

Junegrass (tan)


Bush clover (cream)

Mesic Purple prairie clover (purple) Compassplant (yellow)

White prairie clover (yellow) Saw-tooth sunflower (yellow)

Field goldenrods (yellow) Prairie willow (green)

New Jersey tea (green) Big bluestem (tan)

Rattlesnake master (white) Rosinweed (yellow)

Rough blazingstar (purple) Indiangrass (tan)

Yellow coneflower (yellow) Prairie dock (yellow)

Canada tick-trefoil (purple) Cupplant (yellow)

Blackeyed susan (yellow) Spike blazingstar (purple)

Little bluestem (copper)

Switchgrass (tan)


Prairie blazingstar (purple)

Bush clover (cream)


5 3

M anaging a prairie planting in theearly stages usually involves weedcontrol. Plantings started from

seed often take three to five years todevelop a true “prairie” appearance,since most growth occurs in the rootsystems during those years.

In the first year or two, weeds such asfoxtail, lamb’s-quarters, or velvet leaf candominate the planting. The amount ofrainfall and condition of the plantingsite also influence the density of weedcoverage.

Mowing weeds such as pigweed, lamb’s-quarters, foxtail and velvet leaf is usefulwhen weeds do not actively threaten thesurvival of the prairie planting. Mowinghelps minimize the uncared-for lookweeds may impart to the planting andcan also speed up the growth of theprairie species.

If you decide to mow, follow thisstrategy:

❦ The first year, wait for weeds togrow about three feet tall; then use ascythe or hay mower to cut themback to a height of six inches. Youcan generally do this by the end ofJune and again in July and August.

❦ The second year, cut the entireplanting to a height of six inches atthe end of June. Cut again only ifthe weeds dominate or if severalprairie species are less than threeinches high.

❦ Remove clippings if they are thick;otherwise, they may smother thesmall prairie species.

An alternative to mowing is spot

treatment of troublesome weeds.Species found on Wisconsin’s noxiousweed list (for example, leafy spurge andfield bindweed) would be candidates forspot treatment, as well as weeds such aswhite and yellow sweet clover whichcompete with newly established prairieplants. Hand weeding is the mostcommon form of spot treatment.

If you decide to spot treat weeds:

❦ Try to determine the time of year orlife stage at which the “target”species are most vulnerable.

❦ Monitor the planting carefully soyou can recognize and treat trouble-some species before they have achance to spread.

❦ Be careful not to disturb more of theplanting than is necessary. Forexample, removing plants or tram-pling creates bare soil which canmake the site vulnerable to weeds.


Managing a prairie plantingAfter three to five years, when prairiespecies dominate, burning can helpmaintain the planting’s health and vigor.A “prescription burn” discourages weedsby removing accumulated decayingleaves and branches, or duff. The black-ened ground also increases the amountof sunlight received in early spring,thereby lengthening the growing season.A good grass cover must be establishedbefore fire can be used as an effectivemanagement tool.

Prescription burns must be executedwith caution—get help from an experi-enced burner.

Before you undertake a prairie burn,remember:

❦ Always check with the municipalityin which the prairie is located toobtain a burning permit. You mustnotify the appropriate officials ofyour plans ahead of time.

❦ The timing of the fire is important.Fires started in March or early April,when most prairie species aredormant, can slow cool-weatherweeds such as Kentucky bluegrass.They also do a good job of elimi-nating duff, helping soil to warm upearly in the growing season. Laterburns aid in controlling trees andshrubs that encroach upon theplanting. However, they can alsoharm growing prairie species. The

fire’s timing should be tailored tothe circumstances of the site.

❦ The burn should be well-planned.Prepare fire breaks and keep water orother control devices on hand tocontrol the flames.

❦ Fires should be scheduled at irreg-ular intervals to prevent the possi-bility that pest species might adaptto a predictable burn sequence.

For more information on conductingmanagement burns, the booklet How toConduct Small Prairie Fires by WaynePauly is an excellent choice. The bookletis available from the Dane County ParksDepartment located in Madison,Wisconsin.

Where fires are prohibited, mowing

close to the ground and removing

debris can accomplish one of themajor effects offire—removingthe duff.Mowing,however, isless effectivethan burning,since the blackenedground left aftera fire enhanceswarming of thesoil.

3. A refuge for plants and animals.Society cannot afford to close itsoptions by allowing extinction of aspecies. We do not know what plantwill provide a “miracle drug” for thefuture. Bison or bison-cattle hybridanimals are being used for meat pro-duction. Bison meat can occasion-ally be purchased in some markets.The bison was nearly extinct early inthe 20th century.

4. Areas of agronomic production.Although much of the Midwesternprairie has been lost to agronomicproduction, certain types of prairieplants may have agronomic poten-tial in themselves. Short grasses, inparticular, are well adapted aspasture and range plants. The shortgrass prairies of the western statesare extensively used to graze cattleand sheep. Wet prairies have beentraditionally mowed for marsh hay.The agronomic potential of manyother plants for pasture, fodder, orforage is largely untested. Caution:The prairie is extremely productive,but it is fragile and can be easilyabused.

5. Areas for aesthetic appreciation ofnature’s handiwork.

Becoming more involvedThere are many opportunities to

learn more about prairies in thecompany of others who share

your interest. Nearby nature centers areoften a source of information andclasses. Some groups provide meetingsand newsletters. Two Wisconsin groups,Prairie Enthusiasts in Boscobel and TheWild Ones in Milwaukee welcome newmembers and chapters.

5 5

Early settlers used prairie sod to buildtheir first houses. They made a tonicof boneset, used the bison for food

and fur, and made drinks from berg-amot and New Jersey tea plants. But tomost prairie immigrants, the rich soilbeneath the sod was more valuable thanthe native plants it produced. Much ofthe prairie plant community was irre-trievably destroyed—its inherent valueignored or unrecognized.

Recent growth of interest in prairies hasbrought to light many important eco-nomic and aesthetic uses for thesespecial plants. Here are a few:

Prairie plants can be:1. Used to rebuild “worn-out” soils

along roadsides, on abandonedfarms and in other areas. Manyprairie plants thrive on low fertilitysoils, and nitrogen-fixing legumesare an important part of the nativeprairie vegetation. The most produc-tive agricultural land in NorthAmerica grows on the humus fromdead prairie plants.

2. Used to prevent soil erosion. Prairieplants have long, deep root systems.They “tie up” or hold down a lot ofsoil. Native plants generally needless maintenance, once established,than their domestic counterparts,and they are adapted to local conditions.

3. Used for landscaping and horticul-tural purposes. These plants can beused in any area from a rock gardento a national park. Prairie gives anatural randomness and beauty tothe landscape. The prairie commu-nity may be especially useful alongroadways and in parks, where main-tenance costs are important consid-erations.

4. Useful for wildlife habitat. Manyprairie plants are valuable as food orcover for wildlife.

Prairie communities are:1. Areas for scientific study. The

prairies represent a natural, livingsystem, one which must be morethoroughly understood for people tolive more harmoniously with theirenvironment.

2. Areas for teaching ecological princi-ples. The prairies are a natural “text-book.” Reading them is just asimportant as reading any book in alibrary. The prairie is especially goodfor teaching young children. It isopen and sunny and the plants aremore child-sized than a woods orforest.


The useful prairie

Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida), 32

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), 16

Thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica), 36

Tickseed (Coreopsis palmata), 29

Water hemlock (Cicuta maculata), 38

Whorled milkweed (Ascelepias verticillata),35

Wild indigo (Baptisia lactea and Baptisiabracteata), 35

Yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata),29

5 7

Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), 23

Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), 17

Birdsfoot violet (Viola pedata), 21

Blackeyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta), 28

Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis), 18

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), 39

Bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii), 27

Bush clover (Lespedeza capitata), 39

Canada tick-trefoil (Desmodiumcanadense), 24

Compassplant (Silphium laciniatum), 30

Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), 18

Culversroot (Veronicastrum virginicum),37

Cupplant (Silphium perfoliatum), 31

Cylindric blazingstar (Liatris cylindracea), 25

Downy phlox (Phlox pilosa), 20

Field goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis), 32

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), 17

Junegrass (Koeleria pyramidata), 15

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens), 22

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), 15

Mountain mint (Pycanthemum virginianum), 38

Needlegrass (Stipa spartea), 14

New England aster (Aster novae-angliae),26

New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus),36

Pasque flower (Anemone patens), 20

Prairie blazingstar (Liatris pycnostachya),25

Prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum),30

Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis),16

Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum), 21

Prairie willow (Salix humilis), 34

Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens), 28

Purple meadowrue (Thalictrum dasycarpum), 23

Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea),24

Rattlesnake master (Eryngiumyuccifolium), 37

Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium), 31

Rough blazingstar (Liatris aspera), 25

Saw-tooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus), 33

Shootingstar (Dodecatheon meadia), 34

Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa), 33

Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula),14

Silky aster (Aster sericeus), 26

Smooth aster (Aster laevis) 27

Spiderwort (Tradescantia species), 22

Spike blazingstar (Liatris spicata), 25


Index of prairie plant illustrations

Peterson, R.J. A Field Guide toWildflowers. Peterson field guideseries. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA,1968.

Phillips Petroleum Co. Pasture andRange Plants. Phillips Petroleum Co., Bartlesville, OK, 1963.

Reich, Binda. Guide to the ArboretumPrairies, University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum, Madison, WI, 1971.

Restoration and Management Notes.Biannual journal from 1981 topresent, University of Wisconsin-Arboretum, Madison, WI

Rock, Harold. Prairie PropagationHandbook. Boerner BotanicalGardens, Wehr Nature Center, HalesCorners, WI, 1971

Runkel, Sylvan T. and Roosa, Dean M.Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie: TheUpper Midwest. Iowa State UniversityPress, Ames, IA ,1989.

Smith, Robert J. and Smith,Beatrice.The Prairie Garden: 70 NativePlants You Can Grow in Town orCountry. University of WisconsinPress,1980.

Sperka, Marie. Growing Wildflowers: AGardener’s Guide, Harper and Row,NY 1973.

Stokes, Donald W. and Stokes, LillianQ. The Wildflower Book: An EasyGuide to Growing and IdentifyingWildflowers, Eastern Edition. Little,Brown and Company, Boston,MA,1992.

Xerces Society. Butterfly Gardening:Creating Summer Magic in YourGarden. Sierra Club, San Francisco,1990.

Ahrenhoerster , Robert and Wilson,Trelen. Prairie Restoration for theBeginner. Prairie Seed Source, NorthLake, WI, 1981.

Allen, Durwood. The Life of Prairie andPlains. McGraw Hill Book Co., NY,1967.

Art, Henry W. The WildflowerGardener’s Guide: Midwest, GreatPlains, and Canadian Prairie edition.Garden Way Publishing , Pownal, VT,1991.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Record(Claire E. Sawyers, guest editor).Gardening with Wildflowers andNative Plants. Brooklyn BotanicGarden, Handbook No. 119,Brooklyn, NY,1989.

Costello, David F. The Prairie World.Crowell, NY,1969.

Courtney, Booth and Zimmerman,James. H. Wildflowers and Weeds.Simon and Schuster, Old Tappan, PA1992.

Curtis, John.T. The Vegetation ofWisconsin. University of WisconsinPress, Madison, WI,1959.

Department of Forest Resources andNatural Heritage. A Guide to PrairieRestoration. llinois Department ofConservation, Springfield, IL, 1986.

Diekelmann, John and Schuster,Robert. Natural Landscaping:Designing with Native PlantCommunities. McGraw-Hill,NY,1982.

Duncan, Patricia. Tallgrass Prairie: TheInland Sea. Lowell Press, Kansas City,MO, 1978.

Hamilton, R. Native PrairieManagement Guide. Iowa PrairieNetwork, PO Box 516, Mason City,IA, 1994.

Kindscher, Kelly. Edible Wild Plants ofthe Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence,KS, 1987.

Korling, Torkel. The Prairie: Swell andSwale, from Nature, Torkel Korling,Dundee, IL 1972.

Madson, John. Where the Sky Began:Land of the Tallgrass Prairie. SierraClub Books, San Francisco, CA,1982.

Murray, Molly Fifield. PrairieRestoration for Wisconsin Schools: AGuide to Restoration from Site Analysisto Management. University ofWisconsin-Madison Arboretum,Madison, WI, 1993.

Pauly, Wayne. How to Manage SmallPrairie Fires. Dane County Highwayand Transportation Department orParks Department, Madison, WI,1985.


Bibliography

5 9

6 1

Authors: Stan Nichols is a professor ofenvironmental sciences with theWisconsin Geological and NaturalHistory Survey and the EnvironmentalResources Center at the University ofWisconsin–Madison and the Universityof Wisconsin–Extension. Evelyn Howellis a professor of landscape architecturewith the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Lynn Entine is a freelancewriter.

Botanical illustrations by Victoria Nuzzo.Editor: Meg Gores Designer: Susan Anderson

Issued in furtherance of CooperativeExtension work, Acts of May 8 andJune 30, 1914, in cooperation with theU.S. Department of Agriculture,University of Wisconsin–Extension,Cooperative Extension. University ofWisconsin–Extension provides equalopportunities in employment and pro-

gramming, including Title IX and ADArequirements. If you need this informa-tion in an alternative format, contactthe Office of Equal Opportunity andDiversity Programs or call ExtensionPublishing at (608)262-2655.

© 1996 by the Board of Regents of theUniversity of Wisconsin System doingbusiness as the division of CooperativeExtension of the University ofWisconsin–Extension. Address inquiriesabout copyright permission to: Director,Cooperative Extension Publishing, 201Hiram Smith Hall, 1545 ObservatoryDr., Madison, WI 53706.

This publication is available from yourWisconsin county Extension office orfrom Cooperative Extension Publishing,Room 170, 630 W. Mifflin Street,Madison, WI 53703, (608)262-3346.Before publicizing, please check on thispublication’s availability.

G2736 Prairie Primer R-7-97-5M-500

prairie primer - learningstore.uwex.edulearningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/g2736.pdf · food chain....

Documents