Sporobolus heterolepis

Prairie Dropseed Poaceae

A grass with the common name Prairie Dropseed might sound like something you’d scatter about and hope for the best, but this North American beauty deserves rather more attention than that. Sporobolus heterolepis forms wonderfully neat, rounded tussocks of fine, arching foliage, topped in late summer by airy, open flower panicles that catch the light beautifully. And just when you thought a grass couldn’t get any more interesting, the flowers have a reputation for their curious fragrance, variously described as reminiscent of coriander, popcorn or freshly baked bread. A grass with its own perfumery department!

Native to the prairies and grasslands of central and eastern North America, from southern Canada through much of the United States, it is particularly associated with the Great Plains and Midwest, also occurring in specialised rocky habitats further east. The accepted name is Sporobolus heterolepis (A.Gray) A.Gray, first published under that name in 1848. Its earlier names include Vilfa heterolepis A.Gray and Agrostis heterolepis (A.Gray) Alph.Wood. The epithet heterolepis refers to the unequal, scale-like glumes of its spikelets.

Give it full sun and well-drained soil, and let its fine foliage and delicate flowerheads do the talking. Drought-tolerant once established, it is a superb choice for prairie-style planting, gravel gardens and naturalistic borders, where its autumn colour and winter structure earn it a place long after the flowers have faded. Understated? Certainly. Ordinary? Not a chance.

• Hardiness: H6 (−20 to −15°C)
• Height: 60–90 cm
• Spread: 45–60 cm
• Flowers: August–October