FoliagePrairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) is a slow-growing perennial, 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, 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
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Prairie Dropseed is hardy to about -40°F (estimated from USDA zone 3), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
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.
See the Prairie Dropseed in your own yard
Upload a photo and our AI designs with real plants like this one — matched to your USDA zone.
