In the landscape
Accent · Border · Mass planting · Meadow · Naturalized · Rock wall · Walkway · Drought tolerant
Data sources
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis · Ornamental grass
Prairie Dropseed is a slow-growing ornamental grass, hardy in USDA zones 3-9, that matures to about 2–3 ft × 2–3 ft. It does best in full sun with low water needs in well-drained and occasionally-dry soil. Expect brown and pink blooms in summer and fall. It attracts songbirds, stands up well to black walnut and deer and drought.
- USDA zones
- 3-9
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft × 2–3 ft
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Occasionally-dry
- Bloom color
- Brown, Pink
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Attracts
- Songbirds
- Tough against
- Black walnut, Deer, Drought, Dry soil, Erosion, Pollution
- Native to
- North America
Will it survive your winters?
We score Prairie Dropseed’s freeze-trouble range against the real coldest nights your area has recorded.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
More plants for your zone: Zone 3 · Zone 4 · Zone 5 · Zone 6 · Zone 7 · Zone 8 · Zone 9
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