Grass,LegumeandWildflowerSpeciesRecommendedfor
GrasslandConservationinNewYorkStateCreatedfortheGreeneLandTrust’sCommunityGrasslandStewardshipProject
Asdiscussedinthisguidebook,resourcemanagersinNewYorkStaterecommendcool‐seasongrassesforsuccessfulestablishmentofgrasslandsforgrasslandbirdconservationintheNortheast.Nativewarm‐seasongrasses,suchasIndiangrass,switchgrassandLittlebluestemcanbeattempted,butareoftenverydifficulttoestablish.Nativecool‐seasongrassspecies,suchasCanadawildrye(photoleft),Virginia
wildrye,FowlbluegrassandFringedbromegrasscanbeagoodoptionforlandownerswishingtoencouragenativespecies.Introduced(non‐native)cool‐seasongrasses,suchasOrchardgrass,HardfescueandTimothy(drawingright),arealsoacceptableforgrasslandbirdconservation.Foragelegumes,suchasredorwhitecloversandBirdsfoottrefoilcanbeaddedtograssseedmixturesaswell,ifthelanditbeingusedforgrazingorhaying.Thetablesbelowareadaptedfromseveral“PlantMaterialsTechnicalNotes”availablefromtheNewYorkStateNaturalResourcesConservationService.Table1.listsavarietyofnative,introduced,cool‐andwarm‐seasongrassspeciesrecommendedforgrasslandconservationinNewYork.Itisrecommendedthatseedsbesownutilizingamixtureofthreetofourspeciesfromthislist.
SeveralexampleseedmixturesareshowninTable2.Anyseedingrateslistedbelowassumeno‐tillseedingandproperweedcontrol.Ifano‐tilldrillisnotused,increasethetotalgrassseedingrateby20%.Whenseedingnative,warm‐seasongrasses,a“nativegrassdrill”isrecommended.Examplesofnativeforbs,orwildflowers,recommendedforaddingtograssseedmixturesareshowninTable3.Includingasmallmixofnativeforbs,suchasCanadaGoldenrod(photoleft),intheseedmixtureisoptionalwhenseedingagrasslandforbirdconservation.Finally,althoughintroduced(non‐native),cool‐seasongrassseedscanbefoundatanyagriculturalsupplystore,Table4listsnurseriesthatspecializeinnativegrassandwildflowerseed.
Timothygrass,C.L.Flint
Canadawildrye,MissourriDNR
CanadaGoldenrod,WisconsinDNR
Table1.GrassSpeciesRecommendedforNewYorkStateGrasslandConservation(includinglegumes)
GrassSeedSpecies SoilDrainageClass Commonname Scientificname Excessi
velyWelldrainedsoil
Welldrainedsoil
Moderatelywelldrainedsoil
Somewhatpoorlydrainedsoil
Poorlydrainedsoil
Native/Introduced
Warm/Coolseason
Indiangrass Sorghastrumnutans
X X Native warm
Switchgrass Panicumvirgatum
X X Native warm
Littlebluestem Schizachyriumscoparium
X X Native warm
Canadawildrye ElymusCanadensisL.
X X Native cool
Bigbluestem Andropogongerardii
X X Native warm
Easterngamagrass
Tripsacumdactyloides
X X Native warm
Virginiawildrye Elumusvirginicus
X X Native cool
Deertongue Panicumclandestinum
X X Native warm
Fowlbluegrass PoapalustrisL. X X X X Native coolFringedbromegrass
BromusciliatusL.
X X X X Native cool
Riverbankwildrye
Elymusriparius X X X X Native cool
Bottlebrush Elymushystrix X X X Native coolOrchardgrass Dactylis
glomerataL. X X Introduced cool
HardFescue Festucatrachyphylla
X X Introduced cool
LadinoClover Trifoliumrepens X X Introduced coolRedClover(uprightimprovedvarieties)
TrifoliumpratenseL.
X X Introduced cool
Birdsfoottrefoil(uprightvarieties,e.e.Pardee,NorcenorViking)
LotuscorniculantusL.
X X Introduced cool
Timothy Phleumpratense X X X Introduced coolRedtop Agrostis
gigantea X X X X Introduced cool
Table2.ExamplesofRecommendedGrassSeedMixturesandSeedingRates(includinglegumes)SeedMixture Lbs/
acreExcessivelyWelldrainedsoil
Welldrainedsoil
Moderatelywelldrainedsoil
Somewhatpoorlydrainedsoil
Poorlydrainedsoil
MixturesofnativecoolseasongrassesCanadawildryeRiverbankwildryeBottlebrush
532
X X X
CanadawildryeVirginiawildryeRiverbankwildryeFringedBromegrass
4444
X X X
RiverbankwildryeVirginiawildryeFringedbromegrassFowlbluegrass
4460.5
X X
MixturesofnativewarmseasongrassesSwitchgrassDeertongueEasterngamagrass
245
X X X X
BigbluestemIndiangrassLittlebluestemDeertongue
2332
X X
BigbluestemIndiangrassSwitchgrass
442
X X X X
BigbluestemIndiangrassDeertongueSwitchgrass
3332
X X X X
MixturesofintroducedcoolseasonspeciesOrchardgrassandHardfescue,PLUSLadinoClover,ANDRedClover,ORBirdsfoottrefoil
56223
X X
TimothyOrchardgrassBromegrass,PLUSLadinocloverANDRedCloverORBirdsfoottrefoil
343223
X X X
TimothyOrchardgrassRedtop,PLUS
340.5
X X X X
LadinocloverANDRedCloverORBirdsfoottrefoil
223
TimothyANDOrchardgrass,PLUSLadinocloverANDRedclover,ORBirdsfoottrefoil
55223
X X X
Table3.NativeForbes/Wildflowers*(canbeincludedsparinglyingrassseedmixtures)(selectamixtureoffivespeciesfromlisttoincreasediversity)Commonname Scientificname Wetland
indicatorLbs/ac Soil
adaptationButterflymilkweed Asclepiastuberosa Upland .0625 MWD‐EDNewEnglandaster Asternovae‐angliae Facw‐ .0625 PD‐WDLongleavedaster Asterumbellatus Facw .0313 PD‐WDWhiteheathaster Asterericoides Facu .0156 MWD‐EDBlueFalseIndigo Baptisiaaustralis Facu .0625 MWD‐EDPartridgepea(annual) Chamaecrista
fasciculataFacu 1.000 MWD‐ED
Ox‐eyesunflower Heliopsishelianthoides Upland .5000 MWD‐EDPurpleconeflower Echinaceapurpurea Upland .5000 MWD‐WDJoepyeweed Eupatorium
maculatumFacw .0313 PD‐MWD
Roundheadlespedeza Lespedezacapitata Facu‐ .0625 MWD‐EDSpikedgayfeather Liatrisspicata Facu+ .1250 SPD‐WDPerenniallupine Lupinusperennis Facu .5000 MWD‐EDWildbergamot Monardafistulosa Upland .0313 SPD‐MWDGreyheadedconeflower Ratibidapinnata Upland .1250 MWD‐EDBlackeyedsusan Rudbeckiahirta Facu‐ .0625 SPD‐WDCanadagoldenrod Solidago
Canadensis/altissimaFacu .0156 SPD‐ED
Grassleavedgoldenrod Euthamiagraminifolia Fac .0313 SPD‐MWDBoneset Eupatorium
perfoliatumFacw+ .0313 PD‐MWD
Bluevervain Verbenahastate Facw+ .0625 PD‐MWDWhitevervain Verbenaurticifolia Facu .0625 SPD‐WDShowyticktrefoil Desmodiumcanadense Fac .2500 SPD‐WDGoldenalexanders Ziziaaurea Fac .2500 SPD‐WDGiantsunflower Helianthusgiganteus facw .0313 PD‐MWD*Duetotheabilityofsomeoftheseandotherplantstocolonizetheplantingsandthecostoftheseed,theamountofseedplantedislight.
Table4.NurseriesSpecializinginNativeGrassesand/orWildflowersName Address Phone Fax/email/webErnstConservationSeeds
9006MercerPikeMeadville,PA16335
800‐873‐3321 [email protected](specializinginnativeandnaturalizedseed,biomass)
CatskillNativeNursery
607SamsonvilleRdKerhonkson,NY12446
845‐626‐2758 www.catskillnativenursery.com
Behn’sBestPerennials
689AlbanyTurnpikeOldChatham,NY12136
518‐76‐9820
Oligny’sCreativeLandscapes
390Wilton‐GansevoortRd.Gansevoort,NY12831
518‐745‐7604 www.olignys.com
NativeLandscapes
QuakerRidgePlaza991Route22Pawling,NY12564
845‐855‐7050 www.nativelandscaping.net
ProjectNative
342NorthPlainRd.Housatonic,MA01236
413‐274‐3464 www.projectnative.org
NativeSeeds,Inc(wildflowersonly)
14590TridelphiaMillRd.Dayton,MD21036
301‐596‐9818
PinelandsNursery
323IslandRoadColumbus,NJ08022
609‐291‐9486 609‐298‐8939
PrairieRidgeNursery
9738OverlandRoadMt.Horeb,WI53572‐2832
608‐437‐5245 608‐437‐8982
PrairieNursery POBox306Westfield,WI53964
608‐296‐3679 608‐296‐2741
PutneyNursery,Inc.(wildflowersonly)
Route5Putney,VT05346
802‐387‐5577 802‐387‐4491
Thompson&Morgan,Inc.(wildflowersonly)
POBox1308Jackson,NJ08527‐0308
1‐800‐274‐7333
888‐466‐4769
WildEarthNativePlantNursery
49MeadAvenueFreehold,NJ07728
908‐308‐9777
