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Battle the Buckthorn - Understory Revegetation Seed Mix

$21.00 - $798.00

500 sq ft
$21.00
1000 sq ft
$32.00
1/8 acre
$110.00
1/4 acre
$200.00
1/2 acre
$399.00
1 Acre
$798.00

The NEW Battle the Buckthorn seed mix does exactly that: the native species in this diverse mix provide quick competition to help shade out and out-compete seedlings of invasive understory shrubs like buckthorn, burning bush, and honeysuckle so they do not return after removal.
 
The Battle the Buckthorn seed mix relies on human interaction to be a successful tactic.  A site must first be prepared by trimming, treating, removing, or otherwise neutralizing several generations of the invasive shrubs for this mix to be effective.  Fruiting trees should be among the primary targets, since new generations are produced from the berries.  The copious fruits are dispersed by birds and critters, often spreading to neighboring properties and becoming problematic across larger and larger territories.  Maintenance methods should continue throughout at least one full growing season to mitigate and limit the invasive shrubs prior to sowing this seed mix.

The species in this seed mix emphasize dense lower foliage and relatively fast growth habits to ensure successful replacement.  This selection of plants is also tolerant of a wide range of sun conditions.  Most understory clearing practices also include casualties in the greater tree canopy, so as those larger trees slowly fill back in, the species in this mix can adapt from semi-sun conditions to more shade. Likewise, if a cleared area of buckthorn suddenly has more light, the species here can also adjust for a day with much sun.
 
This seed mix is best sown in late fall, or early spring while temperatures are still consistently cool.  Fast-growing, cool-season native grasses like the Elymus (Wild Rye) species block the sun from young buckthorn seedlings, stabilize soils to prevent erosion, and provide fuel for future prescribed burn maintenance.  Native perennial flowering plants typically take 3 years to mature, coming into their own as the short-lived perennial grasses start to phase out. Introducing more forb diversity in year 3 or after will build a complex plant network capable of supporting greater biodiversity while hindering invasive species.  That being said, we advise continued monitoring and intervention to ensure successful revegetation of a former buckthorn-infested site.

This seed mix is not exclusively for buckthorn replacement projects!  As our most affordable shade mix, paired with a very high seeding rate and extensive plant diversity, the Battle the Buckthorn is a great option to fill sites with shade-loving natives - fast.

Battle the Buckthorn - Understory Revegetation Seed Mix

by Prairie Moon® Nursery

14.39 lbs per acre | 115 Seeds per sq/ft

(FILTER PLANTS IN THIS SEED MIX)

WILDFLOWERS

Botanical Name (Common Name)

% by wt.

Agastache scrophulariaefolia (Purple Giant Hyssop)

0.43

Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine)

0.43

Campanula americana (Tall Bellflower)

0.65

Cryptotaenia canadensis (Honewort)

0.87

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

1.74

Eutrochium purpureum (Sweet Joe Pye Weed)

0.43

Heliopsis helianthoides (Early Sunflower)

1.74

Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia)

0.43

Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot)

0.87

Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue)

0.87

Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan)

3.47

Rudbeckia laciniata (Wild Golden Glow)

0.43

Rudbeckia triloba (Brown-eyed Susan)

0.33

Scrophularia lanceolata (Early Figwort)

0.22

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (Calico Aster)

0.22

Teucrium canadense (Germander)

0.43

Thalictrum dasycarpum (Purple Meadow Rue)

0.43

Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's Root)

0.43

Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders)

2.61

Total of WILDFLOWERS:

17.05 %

GRASSES, SEDGES & RUSHES

Botanical Name (Common Name)

% by wt.

Carex sprengelii (Long-beaked Sedge)

0.87

Elymus canadensis (Canada Wild Rye)

34.74

Elymus hystrix (Bottlebrush Grass)

5.21

Elymus villosus (Silky Wild Rye)

3.91

Elymus virginicus (Virginia Wild Rye)

34.74

Glyceria striata (Fowl Manna Grass)

0.87

Poa palustris (Fowl Bluegrass)

0.87

Sphenopholis obtusata (Prairie Wedgegrass)

1.74

Totals of GRASSES, SEDGES & RUSHES:

82.95 %
(FILTER PLANTS IN THIS SEED MIX)

Last updated 10/23/25

1 Question asked on Battle the Buckthorn - Understory Revegetation Seed Mix

Q
andrew October 14
Hello, this concept intrigues me as a member of the Kent Conservation District invasive strike team. I'm curious, has this been studied & reported on in any peer-reviewed article? Do you have any data to support the idea? Thank You, Andrew :)
A
Prairie Moon October 15
Hello Andrew, We have created this mix based on the idea of occupying the area with quick growing native species. While this mix is new from us, the idea of a revegetation mix is not a new concept. Many articles have noted the importance of native species replacing buckthorn areas. HERE. I hope this helps!

Native plant communities provide the inspiration for our seed-mix designs. All our mixes feature high seeding rates and a diverse balance of native species, which, when mature, will provide blossoms throughout the year. No matter what you want from a seed mix, you will need to make sure it fits the soil-moisture holding capacity and sun conditions of your site.

Establishment of the diverse native-plant communities represented in our seed mixes can take three to five years. The most critical process before planting is preparing the site by removing unwanted species and working to deplete the soil’s weed seed bank. *Some site preparation methods like tilling, sod removal, or smothering over a septic system may be not be an option, especially if the soil over the septic is particularly sparse. To remove existing vegetation, herbicide or cycles of burning/interseeding may be the only option.  

Find detailed site prep, planting and care instructions for our seed mixes through the following links:

ESTABLISHING A NATIVE SEED MIX - 3 YEAR PLAN

PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR HAND SOWING A NATIVE SEED MIX

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

US Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail online SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost.
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Details

Lbs/Acre
14.39
Seeds/Sq.Ft.
115
Sun Exposure
Partial
Soil Moisture
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height
2-6'
Advantages
Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles
USDA Zones
3-9
Catalog Code
BATTLE

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