Grasses native to Minnesota?

[Binkalette]

I'm looking for some grasses that are native to Minnesota that I could re-plant the lawn with. I've read that native grasses do much better and take less work to keep weed free than non-native grasses. I haven't found much doing a google search, and nothing when I searched the forums. How can I find out what kind of grass is native to MN and would do well as a lawn?

[Kisal]

I'm not sure how native grasses would work in a lawn. Grass seed production is a major industry where I live, and the growers have to burn off the fields every year. Depending on the direction of the wind, it can make life pretty miserable for those who have breathing problems or, like me, allergies to smoke (although I have much greater problems with wood smoke, especially from forest fires.)

Here is one site with some information. This particular page specifically mentions big bluestem, but the menu on the left of the page discusses a few other species.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/roadsidesforwildlife/weedcontrol.html

You might phone your nearest Extension Service office for further info.

[mtmickey]

contact your local extension agency. They are full of that sort of information

[cynthia_h]

I think you may want to alter your search criteria. There has been a lot of research conducted in the last 10 or so years on restoring the prairie and prairie native plants/wildflowers. "Grass," as used by most U.S. people, is that monoculture golf-course flat green stuff adapted for climates more like that of England and less like most of the United States. Searching for

prairie native wildflowers
native plants prairie

and similar terms may give you the seed mixtures you're looking for. And, of course, the extension service or a Master Gardener service. Minnesota is justly famous for its agricultural and gardening support, so you'll probably find lots of help either in the (yep) Yellow Pages under the government listings or in the websites for your local government agencies, esp. the county and state.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[MaineDesigner]

The list of native grasses for Minnesota is fairly long but first a word of caution. Prairie lawns are fairly low maintenance once established but during the first three or four years they involve a considerable amount of work. An excellent source for both information and seed is [url]https://www.prairiemoon.com/[/url]. You could also try their Wisconsin competitor [url]https://www.prairienursery.com/store/[/url]. It is imperative that the lawn grasses be 100% eradicated before you start planting and if your lawn abuts a neighbor's conventional lawn you will need to create a physical barrier to keep the lawn grasses out. Also, in a situation where you can't burn you will need someone with a very good horticultural eye to do the hand weeding during the first few years. Where are you located in Minnesota?