Porcupine Grass is a tall native bunchgrass of dry prairies, named for its sharply pointed, awned seeds that are adapted for burial — the hygroscopic awn twists and untwists with changes in humidity, literally drilling the seed into the soil. Growing 2–3 feet tall in mixed and tallgrass prairies, it is a signature species of high-quality dry prairies. The seeds can penetrate the skin of grazing animals, which historically helped the plant spread. It is a beautiful ornamental grass for dry, sunny native gardens.
Habitat
Found in dry to mesic prairies and rocky hillsides across the central United States and southern Canada.
Diet
Seeds consumed by birds; important forage grass for bison, deer, and pronghorn.
How common
Uncommon
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