Chicago Illinois Mixed Height Prairie Seed Mix
for Mesic or Dry Mesic soils
Some of the many species included in the mix shown here are: Wild Bergamot, Rattlesnake Master, Black-eyed Susan, Pale Purple Coneflower, Nodding Onion, Wild Quinine, and Culver´s Root.
We have designed these mixes to be diverse and high quality, using only species native to the Chicago area prior to Settlement. Please note: No cover crop is included with this mix.
(Add a Seed Mix Enhancement for that extra splash of color!)
All mixes are subject to change without notice depending on availability of species.
Seeding Rate: 10.47 lbs / acre
91 seeds / sq ft
Forbs (50.02%)
| Species Name |
% |
| Nodding Onion |
1.35 |
| Lead Plant |
0.68 |
| Prairie Sage |
0.17 |
| Butterfly Weed |
1.24 |
| Whorled Milkweed |
0.34 |
| Sky Blue Aster |
0.34 |
| Smooth Blue Aster |
0.68 |
| Aromatic Aster |
0.17 |
| Canadian Milk Vetch |
0.17 |
| White Wild Indigo |
1.86 |
| Cream Wild Indigo |
0.62 |
| Downy Wood Mint |
0.17 |
| Pale Indian Plantain |
0.62 |
| Harebell |
0.17 |
| Sand Coreopsis |
0.68 |
| Prairie Coreopsis |
0.68 |
| Midland Shooting Star |
0.34 |
| Pale Purple Coneflower |
7.44 |
| Purple Coneflower |
3.72 |
| Rattlesnake Master |
1.86 |
| Cream Gentain |
0.68 |
| Stiff Gentain |
0.34 |
|
Forbs (continued)
| Species Name |
% |
| Early Sunflower |
1.24 |
| Round-headed Bush Clover |
0.68 |
| Marsh Blazing Star |
3.10 |
| Wild Quinine |
2.70 |
| Foxglove Beardtongue |
0.93 |
| White Prairie Clover |
1.35 |
| Purple Prairie Clover |
1.35 |
| French Grass |
0.68 |
| Slender Mountain Mint |
0.17 |
| Pasture Rose |
1.35 |
| Black-eyed Susan |
2.48 |
| Sweet Black-eyed Susan |
0.93 |
| Brown-eyed Susan |
1.24 |
| Wild Petunia |
0.62 |
| Compass Plant |
1.35 |
| Old Field Goldenrod |
0.17 |
| Stiff Goldenrod |
0.34 |
| Showy Goldenrod |
0.62 |
| Meadow Parsnip |
0.62 |
| Hoary Vervain |
1.35 |
| Culver's Root |
0.62 |
| Golden Alexanders |
1.86 |
|
Grasses (49.98%)
| Species Name |
% |
| Big Bluestem |
4.96 |
| Little Bluestem |
10.80 |
| Side-oats Grama |
9.30 |
| Prairie Brome |
9.92 |
| Copper-shouldered Oval Sedge |
1.35 |
| Canada Wild Rye |
6.20 |
| Indian Grass |
4.96 |
| Northern Dropseed |
2.48 |
|
DID YOU KNOW...?
Establishing a native plant community from seed takes 3 years or more
YEAR 1: SITE PREPARATION AND SEEDING YEAR
• Many areas will need 1 growing season (spring-fall) for site preparation, an exception may be an area with lawn grass. Remove existing grass/weeds AND the weed seed bank in the soil by using herbicides or other methods you determine to be best. Sowing the seed: We are an advocate for fall or frost plantings (mid-Oct or after). Spring plantings (April-June) are an acceptable second choice. You should not plant in the summer. (Click here for “
Pros and Cons to Fall vs. Spring Plantings”).
YEAR 2: FIRST GROWING SEASON
• Most sites need
maintenance mowings to keep weeds from going to seed and to allow light to penetrate the ground encouraging growth of the majority of the slow-growing natives. You may get some blooms this year, most likely the Black-eyed Susan, but you must sacrifice those beautiful flowers if you want the other species to establish! Keep the area cut to 4-6” this year.
Don’t pull the weeds! This will disturb the root systems of the nearby natives trying to establish.
YEAR 3: SECOND GROWING SEASON
• This may or may not be the year you start enjoying the fruits of your labor. You may need to mow once yet this year. Be patient – although some species may reach flowering stages in year 3, many could take 5 years or more.
For more information on
'Establishing a Native Plant Community', read the excerpt from our catalog….
