Prairie Junegrass Seeds (Koeleria macrantha)

A tough, but lush, clumpy grass that can support butterfly caterpillars, grazing mammals, and even function as a lawn grass. Like a number of other Northwest regional meadow species (selfheal, yellow rattle, yarrow), prairie junegrass is a species with circumpolar distribution, occurring across much of the cool regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In the UK where it is a foundation of many upland meadows it’s known as crested hairgrass. This is a lush, clump-forming grass for open, exposed areas with good drainage and a decent amount of sun. Like nearly all of our regionally-adapted grasses, this is a species that puts on most of its growth in cooler seasons (fall and spring), with growth slowing in mid-summer. Prairie junegrass is a host plant for caterpillars of the Columbia skipper butterfly (Hesperia columbia) and probably a number of other skippers as well. It’s also highly palatable for livestock, deer, and elk. Functionally, this is a highly versatile grass, and can be allowed to