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Grass, Legume and Wildflower Species Recommended for Grassland Conservation in New York State Created for the Greene Land Trust’s Community Grassland Stewardship Project As discussed in this guidebook, resource managers in New York State recommend cool‐ season grasses for successful establishment of grasslands for grassland bird conservation in the Northeast. Native warm‐season grasses, such as Indiangrass, switchgrass and Little bluestem can be attempted, but are often very difficult to establish. Native cool‐season grass species, such as Canada wildrye (photo left), Virginia wildrye, Fowl bluegrass and Fringed bromegrass can be a good option for landowners wishing to encourage native species. Introduced (non‐native) cool‐season grasses, such as Orchardgrass, Hard fescue and Timothy (drawing right), are also acceptable for grassland bird conservation. Forage legumes, such as red or white clovers and Birdsfoot trefoil can be added to grass seed mixtures as well, if the land it being used for grazing or haying. The tables below are adapted from several “Plant Materials Technical Notes” available from the New York State Natural Resources Conservation Service. Table 1. lists a variety of native, introduced, cool‐ and warm‐ season grass species recommended for grassland conservation in New York. It is recommended that seeds be sown utilizing a mixture of three to four species from this list. Several example seed mixtures are shown in Table 2. Any seeding rates listed below assume no‐till seeding and proper weed control. If a no‐till drill is not used, increase the total grass seeding rate by 20%. When seeding native, warm‐season grasses, a “native grass drill” is recommended. Examples of native forbs, or wildflowers, recommended for adding to grass seed mixtures are shown in Table 3. Including a small mix of native forbs, such as Canada Goldenrod (photo left), in the seed mixture is optional when seeding a grassland for bird conservation. Finally, although introduced (non‐ native), cool‐season grass seeds can be found at any agricultural supply store, Table 4 lists nurseries that specialize in native grass and wildflower seed. Timothy grass, C. L. Flint Canada wildrye, Missourri DNR Canada Goldenrod, Wisconsin DNR

Grass, Legume and Wildflower Species Recommended for ...Native/ Introduced Warm/ Cool season Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans X X Native warm Switchgrass Panicum virgatum X X Native

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Page 1: Grass, Legume and Wildflower Species Recommended for ...Native/ Introduced Warm/ Cool season Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans X X Native warm Switchgrass Panicum virgatum X X Native

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

Page 2: Grass, Legume and Wildflower Species Recommended for ...Native/ Introduced Warm/ Cool season Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans X X Native warm Switchgrass Panicum virgatum X X Native

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

Page 3: Grass, Legume and Wildflower Species Recommended for ...Native/ Introduced Warm/ Cool season Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans X X Native warm Switchgrass Panicum virgatum X X Native

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

Page 4: Grass, Legume and Wildflower Species Recommended for ...Native/ Introduced Warm/ Cool season Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans X X Native warm Switchgrass Panicum virgatum X X Native

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.

Page 5: Grass, Legume and Wildflower Species Recommended for ...Native/ Introduced Warm/ Cool season Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans X X Native warm Switchgrass Panicum virgatum X X Native

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