Parker's Picks — Indiangrass

Indiangrass is a warm-season Western New York native grass valued for its strong upright form, arching green, somewhat glaucous foliage, and distinctive bronze-gold flower and seed heads. One of the characteristic grasses of the tallgrass prairie, it typically reaches 4–6 feet when in flower. Its airy plumes emerge in late summer, followed by golden-yellow to orange fall color and stems that provide structure well into winter.

Give Indiangrass plenty of sun and average, well-drained soil. Once established, it is highly drought tolerant and adapts to a wide range of conditions, including clay, rocky, and relatively poor soils. Excessively rich or consistently moist soil can cause the tall stems to become less upright. Its extensive root system makes it especially useful for meadow plantings, slopes, prairie restorations, and erosion control. It is also resistant to deer and grows well near black walnut trees.

Indiangrass offers valuable food and shelter for wildlife throughout the year. Its seeds are eaten by songbirds and small mammals, while the upright clumps provide nesting and winter cover. It is also a larval host for the Pepper-and-Salt Skipper, adding another layer of ecological value to the landscape.

The Indiangrass growing at Masterson’s originated from locally collected plant material from Niagara County. I collected it during field work, making this a locally sourced example of a native grass naturally occurring in our region.