Description

Good native prairie indicator, though mostly grazed out. Birds love the nutritional seeds. Grows 1-2' high. This is also great forage plant for cattle and other livestock, which grows quickly following light grazing. Blooms and produces seeds several times thru out the growing season. Will readily increase with good land management.

Available in mixes & D-Paks. Live roots available by the bundle (click here)!

Painted Bunting on Texas Cupgrass stem eating the nutritious seeds (above)




The Natives are Friendly

Texas Cupgrass, Eriochloa sericea, is a warm season grass that grows in a wide range of soil conditions, preferring sunny locations and is incredibly hardy once established. It is a bunch grass that does not spread through rhizomes but has intertwined roots each attached to an individual pencil like stalk and reaching an average height of 1-2 feet. Texas Cupgrass, also known as Silky Cupgrass, has unique flowering sequences that makes it very tricky to harvest and does not lend itself well to conventional harvest techniques. Unlike most other grasses, Texas Cupgrass produces seeds all through its growing season making it an invaluable food source for wildlife that depend on seed for the majority of their diet. It also can provide cover and nesting material for many small species of wildlife. Here at Native American Seed in the evenings and early mornings the increasingly rare call of the Bob White can be heard coming from the Texas Cupgrass field. The dove and quail particularly enjoy our field after a harvest with the extra seed on the ground from the passing of the harvesting equipment. It is an awesome sight to see a flock of doves taking to the air after being disturbed while feeding, or observing a Painted Bunting swaying on a stem as it gently plucks the seed from the stem. The stalks, with the empty individual cup like bases, have a unique zigzag pattern that makes a great indentifying characteristic. All seed eating birds love these nutritional seeds. Texas Cupgrass is a good prairie indicator because if grazed too heavily its population will decrease but if grazed lightly the population will easily increase in abundance. All forms of livestock prefer Texas Cupgrass and it was almost grazed to extinction surviving only under brush and in small prairie preserves for numerous years. Now the presence of Texas Cupgrass is an indication of an area that is being well managed. Native American Seed has Texas Cupgrass seed in limited quantities to make your landscape more diverse. The addition of Texas Cupgrass to rangeland, prairies or backyards will better serve wildlife and livestock alike and it is an essential component for any restoration project.