Skip to main content

Grasses

Grasses

Blog Posts

Purple Lovegrass in a native bed
Read article: Grasses: Beyond the Lawn
Grasses: Beyond the Lawn
Grasses are an often-underappreciated component of landscaping.  They don’t have the showy flowers of many forbs and are thus overlooked. ...
field of little bluestem
Read article: Little Bluestem, a showstopper in fall
Little Bluestem, a showstopper in fall
Fall is here, and while some days feel much more fall-like than others, you can’t deny that trees are putting on their fall colors, herbaceous plants...
hand holding flowering part of a grass
Read article: How to differentiate between native and non-native plume grasses
How to differentiate between native and non-native plume grasses
A few years ago I began to notice a very tall, stately grass growing on the roadsides on my daily commute. I only seemed to find it growing in...
rye grass in field
Read article: Cereal rye/winter rye: the perfect garden-reset cover crop
Cereal rye/winter rye: the perfect garden-reset cover crop
As we head into the end of the growing and gardening season, it’s important to show your garden some love after it has provided all season long for...

News Releases

Erin Garret standing next to little bluestem in a garden
Grasses at a Glance blog earns award from national Extension organization
URBANA, Ill. — Grasses are a small and often subtle backbone of many ecosystems, making up nearly 30% of the planet’s land cover. They prevent soil erosion, regulate water flow, and provide food and habitat for wildlife and livestock. But ask someone to identify one grass from another, and you...

Videos

How to Identify Nuisance Grass

There are many nuisance grass species. While we may not want to see these grasses out in the field, it’s important to know how to tell them apart from more desirable species.

Tricky Pollinator Questions and Answers

Are my annual plants “junk food” for bees? Can I help pollinators by not mowing my lawn? How can I help pollinators thrive if I don’t have a garden? This presentation explorespollinator questions that have nuanced, uncertain, or controversial answers. 

Staff

Staff photo Shiba Kar

Shiba 'Shibu' Kar

Assistant Dean: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Program Leader. Associate Director of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant