Sporobolus heterolepis

The plant known as Sporobolus heterolepis, commonly known as the silver purslane, is found primarily throughout temperate areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is mixed throughout the meadow and borders streams and rivers.Excellent choice for drought-prone gardens, this architectural grass is perfect for borders where it will easily combine with other plants, rock gardens, prairie plantings or as a groundcover.While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.A preferred native grass for prairie gardens, Prairie Dropseed adds a touch of elegance to any planting. A burst of flowering panicles on slender stems float above the tufted grass in late summer in tints.

Plant

Prairie dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepis, is a warm season grass native to the tallgrass and mixed grass prairies of central North America that is also a popular low-maintenance ornamental landscape plant in zones 3 to 9. Found mainly on the Great Plains from Texas north to southern Saskatchewan, this long-lived perennial clump-forming grass also occurs less commonly in certain habitats in scattered pockets in the eastern Midwest and Northeast to Quebec. It is native to about the southern half of Wisconsin. It was was named a Plant of Merit by the Missouri Botanical Garden in 2005 and was selected as the Wisconsin Nursery and Landscape Association’s herbaceous perennial of the year 2018.

Use prairie dropseed in perennial or mixed borders, naturalistic plantings, meadows, and restored prairies and roadside revegetation. It is a good addition to rain gardens and aids in erosion control. Its fine, flowing appearance is a good contrast to plants with bold foliage or upright form. It makes a great filler between many types of herbaceous perennials but especially those native to prairies, too, such as purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), small goldenrods, liatris, blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida), and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Planted in large masses it can be used as a tall ground cover or can be used to create a distinctive border. It can also be used as an accent specimen plant. It is particularly nice when positioned so the flower and seed heads are backlit. (Source: hort.extension.wisc.edu)