Koeleria macrantha, Prairie Junegrass Seed
Perennial bunchgrass, 8–24". Drought-tolerant and great in meadow mixes. Adds resilience to pollinator plantings. Covers 5 sq ft.
From Northwest Meadowscapes.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 either mature into its natural tussock (or mounded) shaped, which is an interesting architectural feature, or it can be mowed roughly and included in alternative turf mixes to create a lawn-like effect with some ecological value. (A few good junegrass companion species for this approach are red fescue, selfheal, and prairie burnet.)
How to Use Your Cover Crop & Native Seed Packets
Each seed packet is measured to cover 25 sq ft or 100 sq ft, depending on the size you chose.
Sowing Instructions
-
When to sow: Fall is ideal in Portland. The soil is still warm for germination, and fall rains keep seedlings watered. Some seeds (like meadowfoam or clovers) can also be spring-sown.
How to sow:
- Rake the soil lightly to create good seed-to-soil contact.
- Scatter the contents of the packet evenly over the area (don’t worry about perfect spacing).
- Gently press or rake seeds in so they make contact with the soil. Do not bury deeply — most native and cover crop seeds need light to germinate.
- Water: Fall rains usually do the job, but water lightly if the weather turns dry.
What to Expect
-
Traditional Cover Crops (rye, peas, fava, daikon, crimson clover, buckwheat, mustard): Grow quickly, protect soil, and build fertility. In spring, chop them down or mow before they set seed. Some (like rye) can also be crimped into a mulch.
-
Living Mulches (red fescue, dwarf yarrow, creeping thyme, low clovers): These stay low and provide long-term weed suppression and ground cover. Shear lightly as needed, but they don’t require replanting every year.
-
Pollinator Wildflowers (Clarkia, poppy, gilia, flax, meadowfoam, coneflower, blanketflower): Not classic cover crops, but they add beauty and attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Many reseed naturally.
Spring & Summer Management
-
Chop-and-drop: Cut plants at the base and leave them as mulch (peas, fava, clovers).
-
Mow: Use on ryegrass or cereals to turn them into quick mulch.
-
Crimp: Flatten tall rye or grains at flowering to create a long-lasting weed barrier.
-
Shear perennials: Yarrow, thyme, and sedges can be trimmed back after bloom.
-
Self-seeders: Flowers like poppy, clarkia, and meadowfoam will often reseed themselves. Leave some seed heads if you want them back next year.
Quick Tips
-
Cover crops = soil builders.
-
Living mulches = weed suppressors.
-
Wildflowers = pollinator magnets.
Tulle or row cover can protect young seedlings from birds and slugs until established.
-