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Oregon Grown Native Grasses:
WATER FOXTAIL ~ SPIKE BENTGRASS ~ AMERICAN SLOUGH GRASS ~ CALIFORNIA BROME
COLUMBIA BROME ~ CALIFORNIA OATGRASS ~ TUFTED HAIRGRASS ~ BLUE WILDRYE
SLENDER WHEATGRASS ~ WESTERN FESCUE ~ MEADOW BARLEY ~ RICE CUTGRASS
PINE BLUEGRASS ~ NORTHERN MANNAGRASS ~ WEAK ALKALI GRASS ~ ROEMER’S FESCUE
TALL MANNAGRASS ~ NATIVE RED FESCUE ‘MOLATE’
(If you are interested in seed from these species please go to www.oregonwholesaleseed.com for bulk seed or www.silverfallsseed.com for smaller amounts. For larger amounts with some species seed may not be in stock but can be contract produced for you if given a year or two notice in advance. Please contact www.oregonwholesaleseed.com if you are interested in contract production. All photos below are from production produced by Oregon Wholesale Seed Company).
_________ USDA Plant Database Link (where some of our information came from) ___________
WATER FOXTAIL
(Alopecurus geniculatus)
This is low growing perennial aquatic grass. This grass grows 1-2 feet tall and usually found growing in full sun areas. Water Foxtail will tolerate standing shallow water for periods of time. Bluish in color and matures earlier in the season. Approximate Seeds Per Pound: 560,000
USDA Website Link for Water Foxtail 'Click Here'
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SPIKE BENTGRASS
(Agrostis exarta)
This Perennial type bunchgrass likes areas of full sun. Spike Bentgrass grows from sea level to mid elevations. This grass can get 1 to 4 ft. tall with broadleaved foliage. Found in moist areas and upper edges and borders of streams. Easy to establish from seed this grass grows well on moist, moderate acidic, mineral soils. Approximate Seeds Per pound: 5,600,000 and the suggested seeding rate is 1 PLS Pound per acre.
USDA Website Link for Spike Bentgrass PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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AMERICAN SLOUGHGRASS
(Beckmannia syzigachne)
This annual is found along edges of lakes, ditches and ponds in sunny to lightly shaded areas. This grass is an excellent source of food for birds and small mammals and grows about 3 ft. tall. American Sloughgrass has broad green foliage and tolerates wet areas and works excellent for waterfowl habitat. Found Alaska to California along the Pacific Coast (not in Washington). Also found in many other US States from Oregon to the New York. This Sloughgrass can tolerate some acidic and saline soil types and seems to not be picky about moist or dry soils. This grass is considered a cool-season annual or short-lived perennial grass. Plant in full sun to part shade. American Sloughgrass can grow to about 3 ft. tall.
USDA Website Link for American Sloughgrass PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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CALIFORNIA BROME
(Bromus carinatus)
California Brome is native to the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast Regions. This grass is short-lived perennial. California is an excellent forage for livestock. Mature height of this grass can be up to 4 ft. This grass can establish in open areas in shorter periods of time than a lot of other natives. Can tolerate full sun to slight shade, poor drainage and can adapt from moist to dry soils. Germination happens in about 10-14 days. The reccomended seeding rate is 8-10 pls lbs per acre. The approximate seeds per pound: 70,000
USDA Website Link for California Brome PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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COLUMBIA BROME
(Bromus vulgaris)
This Perennial grass is often found in shaded to open areas mainly on borders of conifer forests and Oak Savannahs at low to sub alpine locations. Columbia Brome has been known to grow in dry and moist areas and can grow from ½- 4 ft. tall and will tolerate over 30% shade. Columbia Brome can grow in coarse to medium textured soils. The approximate seeds per pound are 122,086
USDA Website Link for California Brome 'Click Here'
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CALIFORNIA OATGRASS
(Danthonia californica)
California Oatgrass is usually found in transition areas between wet and dry places. This grass has been known to be on both sides of the Cascade Mountains. This short lived perennial is often found in full sun areas and can grow 1-2 ½ ft. tall. Adaptation of this grass is very broad and are mostly sparse populations when found. This grass is found in open areas across when there is not a lot of taller competition. Found growing in medium to fine textured soil. This grass has medium drought tolerance and moisture use. The approximate seeds per pound are 40,000
USDA Website Link for California Oatgrass 'Click Here'
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TUFTED HAIRGRASS
(Deschampsia cespitosa)
Tufted Hairgrass is often found in wet prairies, moist meadows and marshes. This long lived perennial grass can be found from sea level to alpine and can grow 2-4 ft tall. Tufted Hairgrass works excellent for wildlife and livestock forage habitat. Grows in areas of full sun and does not tolerate year round flooding. This grass does not tolerate shade. The approximate seeds per pound are 1,308,333
USDA Website Link for Tufted Hairgrass 'Click Here'
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Blue Wildrye is often found in open forests in dry meadows and usually in rocky soils. This perennial grass is common at low to mid elevations, is a bunch grass that matures at 2-5 ft tall. Works good for wildlife and livestock forage and habitat. Blue Wildrye prefers moisture but can tolerate drought. For planting 5-7 PLS LBS is reccomended. The approximate seeds per pound are 311,000
USDA Website Link for Blue Wildrye PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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SLENDER WHEATGRASS
(Elymus trachycaulus)
This grass makes good palatable feed for livestock. Slender Wheatgrass is a cool-season short- lived perennial bunchgrass. This grass can be found in most US States in moist to dry sites. Slender Wheatgrass also has high salinity tolerance and works good in mixes because it establishes quickly which makes it good for erosion control. This grass can grow 2-4 ft tall when mature appearing bluish green in color. Slender Wheatgrass works well for wildlife and livestock forage habitat. It is found that this grass grows well in medium textured, well-drained soils. This grass does not tolerate excessive moisture. The reccomended seed rate per acre is 6 PLS LBS. The approximate seeds per pound is 135,000
USDA Website Link for Slender Wheatgrass PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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WESTERN FESCUE
(Festuca occidentallis)
Western Fescue is often found from mid to low elevations in open forests, rocky slopes and in meadows. This tufted perennial can grow ½ to 3 ft. tall. Grows in shaded areas and is not very prolific. Western Fescue is slower to establish but works well for wildlife habitat and feed. This grass is tolerant of shade and has a low moisture use and high drought tolerance. This grass has approximately 348,000 seeds per pound
USDA Website Link for Western Fescue 'Click Here'
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MEADOW BARLEY
(Hordeum brachyantherum)
Meadow Barley is native to many US States and has a medium salt tolerance. This tufted Perennial grows in salt marshes, ocean beaches, stream banks, moist meadows, and grassy slopes from sea level to mid or sub alpine elevations in full sun areas. Seeds from this grass can stick to your clothes. Mature height is 1-3 ft tall. Provides excellent forage for livestock and wildlife because of its early forage growth. This grass has medium drought tolerance and adapts well to most soils. Meadow Barley grows well in full sun in coarse to fine soils. This grass is known to tolerate moderate alkaline and saline conditions. The seeds per pound varies on how 'clean' the seed is. The approximate mid range seeds per pound is 100,000. The reccomended seeding rate depends on the quality of seed and varies from 8-40 PLS LBS per acre.
USDA Website Link for Meadow Barley PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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RICE CUTGRASS
(Leersia oryzoides)
This is a wetland type short to medium lived perennial grass often found in swamps, sloughs, around ponds, wet meadows and roadside ditches. Rice Cutgrass grows in wet, sunny partial shaded sites and can get 4-5 ft tall when mature with broad, green leaves. This is a warm season type of grass that is very slow to establish but is excellent for wildlife feed and habitat. This grass has a dormancy requiring cool, moist stratification of 108 to 270 days. Rice Cutgrass has a high tolerance for acidic conditions. This grass thrives in nutrient rich soil. The reccomended seeding rate is 1 PLS LB per acre. The approximate seeds per pound are 360,000
USDA Website Link for Rice Cutgrass PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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PINE BLUEGRASS
(Poa scabrella)
This long-lived perennial grass is found in meadows, open forests, rocky slopes and hills at low to mid elevations and grows to about 1-4 ft.Pine Bluegrass is early maturing and can appear blue in color. This grass makes a good pasture forage grass. Pine Bluegrass likes moderate coarse to fine clay soils and can grow under saline condtions and tolerate weak alkaline or acidic soils. This grass has a moderate shade tolerance. The reccomended seeding rate is 3 PLS LBS per acre. The approximate seeds per pound are 1,046,960
USDA Website Link for Pine Bluegrass PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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NORTHERN MANNAGRASS
(Glyceria borealis)
This is an aquatic perennial grass that is often found in 1-3 ft. of standing water in wetlands, stream banks and lakeshores at low to mid elevations and can grow 4-5 ft tall in full sun. Very slow to establish and has sparse foliage. Found growing from Alaska to Newfoundland, British Columbia to Central California as well as many other US States. Plants of this grass grow in clumps and spread by rhizomes. This grass has a low drought tolerance and high moisture use. Northern Mannagrass is intolerant of shade and can grow in fine to coarse soils.
USDA Website Link for Northern Mannagrass 'Click Here'
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WEAK ALKALI GRASS
(Torreyochloa pauciflora)
This perennial grass grows in shallow water in marshes and swamps. Often found growing in lowlands and sub alpine levels and can grow 1-5 ft. tall. Works good as forage for livestock and wildlife feed and habitat. This grass is fast to establish and similar to Tall Mannagrass. Often found in shady forested areas along the West Coast from Alaska to California and many other US states. At times during the growing season this grass can be mistaken for Rough Stalk Bluegrass. This grass is tolerant of salinity and alkalinity and can grow in acidic soils. This grass can grow in full sun to medium shade. The reccomended seeding rate is 1-4 PLS LBS per acre. The approximate seeds per pound are 1,955,000
USDA Website Link for Weak Alkali Grass PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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ROEMER’S FESCUE
(Festuca roemeri)
This grass is found on open hillsides and sunny areas in and around Oak Savannah habitats. Roemer’s Fescue is a long-lived perennial cool-season bunchgrass and can grow 1 to 3 ½ feet tall. Native to British Columbia and West of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, Washington and Northern California. Slow to establish and has a broad variation in appearance that can make it difficult to identify. Roemers Fescue is drought tolerant and can grow in full sun to partial shade in fine to medium textured soil. This grass also grows in moderate acidic to slightly alkaline soils. The reccomended seeding rate is 4-20 PLS LBS per acre. The approximate seeds per pound are 500,000
USDA Website Link for Roemers Fescue PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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TALL MANNAGRASS
(Glyceria elata)
This grass grows along streams, ditches and moist woods in open habitats. Tall Mannagrass is found from California to Montana and British Columbia, Washington, Arizona and New Mexico. Growing 2 ½ to 4 ½ ft in height this grass is a long lived perennial tolerating open to very shady areas along streams and borders of bodies of water. This grass does not tolerate salinity and needs moderatly good fertility. Germination takes about 2-3 weeks. The reccomended seeding rate is 1 PLS LB per acre. The approximate seeds found per pound are 1,600,000
USDA Website Link for Tall Mannagrass PDF Fact Sheet 'Click Here'
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NATIVE RED FESCUE ‘MOLATE’
(Festuca rubra ssp.rubra ‘Molate’)
Molate Fescue is a native red fescue found throughout the Sierra’s in California and parts of Southern Oregon. This grass is much more vigorous than Western Fescue, tolerating shade and drought very well. When mature this grass can grow up to 2 ft. tall.
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