Grasslands and Prairie Plants

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Grasslands: A Sea of Grass

A grassland, like a prairie or a savanna, is an area dominated by grass that has few or no trees. Grassland plants have adapted to survive in hot and dry areas for an extended period of time. They generally have long, narrow leaves that are able to hold in water better than wider leaves. The deep root system of grassland plants allows them to acquire water and also prevent soil erosion.

Lands that are primarily associated with Canada's prairie provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta) are becoming extinct faster than rainforests.

Prairie Grass and Prairie Meadows

Prairie grass is an annual, short-term perennial grass that thrives in a variety of climates. Prairie grass is a native of Pampas of South America. A relative of smooth bromegrass, it produces seed heads each growth period, especially during the warm summer months.

Prairie grass is valued for its ability to provide green forage at times when traditional pasture mixtures are low yielding. This tall perennial plant with long and broad leaves is best suited for well-drained soils with medium to high fertility levels.

When comparing prairie grass to other grassland plant species, prairie grass offers many advantages including:

higher yields during cool conditions of the fall and spring months
high palatability at all growth stages
high herbage quality
good tolerance to pests and grass disease.

Dry prairies are more common in areas of lower rainfall. In general, dry prairies are located in regions that receive between ten and twenty inches or rain a year. These dry prairie meadows typically have a shallow soil profile: a thin layer of organic matter above sandy, well-drained soil with low water-holding capacity.

Typical plants found growing in the dry prairie community are:

western wheat grass
big bluestern
Caroliana anemone
thimble flower
lyre-leaved
beach wormwood
blunt-leaved milkweed
short-green milkweed
heath aster.

Savanna Plants

The savanna, a transitional region between forests and grasslands, is comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. Although the word "savanna" originally came from an Amerindian word meaning "land with grass and no trees," it now refers to land with both grass and trees.

The Savannas cover half the surface of Africa, as well as large areas of Australia, South America, and India. Savannas can result from changes in climate, soil conditions, animal behavior or agricultural practices. Humans create savannas by burning grasslands and cutting down trees so they can plant crops.

Savannas are classified in five different types:

Tropical or subtropical savannas, like the African Serengeti, are famous for their wildlife.
Temperate savannas, like those of the Faroe Islands, are characterized by wetter summers and drier winters
Mediterranean savannas, like those in California, have mild winters and hot, dry summers.
Flooded savannas in tropical regions can be flooded only seasonally or all year.
Montane savannas, like the Angolan scarp savanna, are located in high mountain regions.

The savanna consists of mostly grasses, such as Rhodes grass, red oats grass, lemon grass and shrubs. Most savanna plants grow on coarse ground in patches with interspersed areas of bare ground.

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