Grass Blog

Grasses at a Glance
Grasses at a Glance
patch of grass with arching leaves
Beakgrass, a grass for the shade garden
The first time I saw Beakgrass was at the Missouri Botanic Garden in a parking median. I was struck by the attractive mass of this grass, which was...
barnyard grass in bloom with trees in the background
Identifying Barnyard Grass
As someone who learned grass identification in Midwest prairies, I don’t often focus a lot of time on grasses that grow in the woods or wetlands. But...
clump of johnsongrass in bloom with red seed heads
A closer look at Johnsongrass, a challenging invasive grass
Summer is here, which brings a very busy programming schedule. In the past few weeks I’ve driven across the five counties I work in to deliver youth...
clump of Junegrass in a forest with trees in the background
Welcome June with Junegrass
When we think of prairie grasses, often the tallest grasses come to mind, like Big Bluestem, Indiangrass, and Switchgrass. But that doesn't mean...
spikes of pink flowers surrounded by grass in a prairie
Get ready to celebrate National Prairie Day on June 1
The first Saturday in June is recognized as National Prairie Day. Prairies hold a special place in my heart, since my work in prairies jumpstarted my...
flower of bulbous bluegrass held in a hand
Watch out for Bulbous Bluegrass, a weedy grass
While hiking through an open woodland, I saw a grass that looked different from any other I’ve seen before. I bent down and snapped some pictures,...
clump of grass with dried curled leaves
Identifying Poverty Oat Grass
I love when plant identification is easy, when there’s one distinctive characteristic that makes a plant stand out from others around it, leaving no...
clumps of prairie dropseed in bloom next to a walkway
Add Prairie Dropseed to your home garden
Last fall I visited the Missouri Botanic Garden with my family, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they added a fair amount of grasses to the...
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Grasses at a Glance dives into grass identification, focusing on tips and tricks that make grass identification possible. Get information about native and non-native species, how to tell look-alikes apart, and which grasses you can find in Illinois. 

 

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Meet the author

Erin Garrett is a natural resources, environment, and energy educator for University of Illinois Extension serving Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski, and Union counties. Erin develops and delivers high impact programming to adults and youth to help them develop an appreciation for natural resources and to empower them to make small changes to positively impact the environment. Erin’s programming focuses on why homeowners should consider choosing native plants, how to support native pollinators, how to identify grasses, how to identify and manage invasive species, and developing an appreciation for prairie ecosystems.