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Grasses Blogs

field of squirreltail barley

Identifying squirreltail barley

Grasses at a Glance
While working in tallgrass prairie restorations in central Minnesota, I was responsible for identifying and recording presence and abundance of native and non-native plants. I remember coming upon a clearing that was full of squirreltail barley, Hordeum jubatum, which seemed to form a...
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Clumps of feather reed grass in a garden

Taking a look at Feather Reed Grass

Grasses at a Glance
When it comes to plant selections in landscaping, much of the focus is typically put on trees, shrubs, and showy flowers. But take a closer look at many landscaped areas and you’ll often find a few grasses. Grasses are underappreciated but can often provide four season interest in the landscape....
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grass flowers

Time to think about crabgrass

Grasses at a Glance
Crabgrass isn’t usually a problem until summertime, but effective management starts this spring. Many cultural choices, like how often and how high you mow your lawn, can impact the ability of crabgrass to establish.  About crabgrassThere are several species of crabgrass in Illinois, but the...
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field of little bluestem

Little Bluestem, a showstopper in fall

Grasses at a Glance
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 are fading away, asters are blooming, and many warm-season grasses are in their prime. One of my favorite grasses to appreciate in the fall is...
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clumps of fountain grass in bloom in a landscape bed with a bridge in the background

Remove and replace Fountain Grasses

Grasses at a Glance
Several years ago on a hike in mid-November, I came across an unfamiliar grass. It was still green, with an intact seed head. The alarm bells started ringing in my head, like they do whenever I see green plants late into fall or very early in spring – was this grass native or non-native? Many...
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