[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main Buffalo Ridge Prairie page.]

Buffalo Ridge was gorgeous this summer – it’s 5th summer.  Lots of flowers blooming all summer long.  The Junegrass is less prominent – I’m wondering if cool season grasses like Junegrass and Wild Rye tend to fade away as the prairie matures.  I know it happens with Wild Rye, now the same thing seems to be happening with the Junegrass.  If that’s true, Junegrass might be a good thing to plant in new prairies – to discourage weeds in the early years.  This prairie seems to have fewer weeds and less Canada Goldenrod than the others. The only bad weed I’ve seen is Japanese Brome (Bromus japonicus) – I don’t know where it came from – whether it was in the field to begin with, or it came in with some seeds I bought.

Mid-July

Giant St. John’s Wort (Hypericum pyramidatum)

7/26/2009

7/26/2009

Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), Monarda (Monarda fistulosa), Missouri Goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Fleabane (Erigeron sp.), Hoary Vervain(Verbena stricta), Giant St. John’s Wort (Hypericum pyramidatum)