Prairie Dropseed Flower

Did you know

• The airy flower panicles emit a distinctive fragrance described as a mix of cilantro, popcorn, and melted butter.
• A single clump can take 3-5 years to mature from seed but then lives for decades, forming a perfect fountain-shaped mound.
• Native Americans gathered the tiny seeds, which taste like popcorn when parched, as an important food source.
• It is one of the most drought-tolerant native grasses, surviving on as little as 12 inches of annual rainfall.
• The fine-textured foliage turns brilliant gold and orange in autumn, remaining attractive through winter.

Color meanings

Uses

• ornamental grass gardens
• prairie restoration
• erosion control
• traditional food source