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Several types of grassland plant communities are found in the region. The area provides a botanical transition between the tallgrass prairie of more humid areas to the east, and the dryer shortgrass prairie to the west. Sandhills mixed-grass prairie covers the upland country south of the river, with plant species adapted to the sandy conditions.
Table 1. Common mixed-grass prairie plant and forb species.
| Common Name | Scientfic Name | | Sand bluestem | Andropogon hallii | | Little bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | | Needleandthread | Stipa comata | | Junegrass | Koeleria macrantha | | Prairie sandreed | Calamovilfa longifolia | | Sand dropseed | Sporobolus asper | | Blue grama | Bouteloua gracilis | | Hairy grama | Bouteloua hirsuta | | Switchgrass | Panicum virgatum | | Louisiana sagewort | Artemisia ludoviciana | | Common milkweed | Asclepias syriaca | | Leadplant | Amorpha canescens | | Scaly blazing star | Liatris squarrosa | | Prairie spiderwort | Tradescantia occidentalis | | Yucca | Yucca glauca | | Wild rose | Rosa woodsii |
Small remnant patches of tallgrass prairie can be found on moist river bottoms. Typical tallgrass prairie species found along the Niobrara River are highlighted in Table 2 below.
Table 2. Common tallgrass prairie plant and forb species.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | | Big bluestem | Andropogon gerardii | | Indiangrass | Sorghastrum nutans | | Heath aster | Aster ericoides | | Annual sunflower | Helianthus annuus | | Prairie coneflower | Ratibida columnifera |
Related Information
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
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