Species library
Native prairie species guide
The prairie grasses and forbs that anchor quality CRP seed mixes. Each profile covers habit, seeding rate, CP practice fit, establishment, and the mixes that feature it.
Native grasses
Big bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
The signature warm-season grass of the tallgrass prairie; deep-rooted, drought-hardy, and wildlife-friendly.
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Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
The most adaptable warm-season grass in North America — nesting cover, biomass, filter strips, and CP2 monocultures.
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Little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
The signature short-to-mid warm-season grass — drought-hardy, wildlife-friendly, and the aesthetic anchor of most CP25 shortgrass mixes.
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Indiangrass
Sorghastrum nutans
The 'third grass' of the tallgrass prairie big-three — deep golden seedheads and reliable mesic-site establishment.
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