One mile separates the hay meadow and pasture but the plant communities in each differ markedly. The hay meadow is comprised entirely of Valentine sand, typical of the sandhills ecoregion (44), in both wet swales and small dunes. The pasture is comprised of loess soils, both sandy and silty. The south side of the pasture is fine sand, Thurman soils, and the north side is silt loam, Crofton soils. Here is a limited inventory of the plants found in each listed by relative dominance, non-native species have been excluded. Plants in bold are found in both locations.
Pasture
Schizachyrium scoparium Little bluestem
Bouteloua curtipendula Side oats grama
Andropogon gerardii Big bluestem
Panicum virgatum Switchgrass
Bouteloua gracilis Blue grama
Bouteloua hirsuta Hairy grama
Panicum oligosanthes Scribner’s panicum
Sorghastrum nutans Indiangrass
Eragrostis spectabilis Purple lovegrass
Calamovilfa longifolia Sandreed grass
Koeleria macrantha Junegrass
Hesperostipa spartea Porcupine grass
Carex brevior
Carex gravida
Carex bicknellii
Oxalis violacea Violet wood-sorrel
Rosa arkansana Prairie Rose
Amorpha canescens Lead plant
Solidago rigida Stiff Goldenrod
Ambrosia psilostachya Western ragweed
Brickellia eupatoroides False Boneset
Liatris punctata Dotted Gayfeather
Dalea purpurea Purple prairie clover
Solidago mollis Soft goldenrod
Aster ericoides Heath Aster
Lotus purshianus Deer vetch
Pediomelum esculentum Prairie-turnip
Physalis longifolia Common ground cherry
Physalis heterophylla Clammy ground cherry
Solidago missouriensis Missouri goldenrod
Asclepias verticillata Whorled milkweed
Heterotheca villosa Golden aster
Machaeranthera pinnatifida Cutleaf ironplant
Verbena stricta Hoary vervain
Calylophus serrulatus Plains yellow primrose
Asclepias syriaca Common milkweed
Equisetum laevigatum Horsetail
Cirsium flodmanii Flodman thistle
Cirsium undulatum Wavy leaf Thistle
Heterotheca villosa Golden aster
Oenthera villosa Evening Primrose
Lithospermum incisum Narrowleaf puccoon
Echinacea angustifolia Narrow-leaf purple coneflower
Pediomelum argophyllum Silver-leaf scurfpea
Artemisia ludoviciana White Sage
Antennaria neglecta Pussy-toes
Delphinium virescens Prairie larkspur
Lygodesmia juncea Skeletonweed
Penstomen gracilis Slender Penstomen
Ratibida columnifera Prairie coneflower
Viola pedatifida Prairie violet
Linum sulcatum Grooved flax
Microseris cuspidata Prairie dandelion
Penstemon grandiflorus Shell-leaf penstemon
Helianthus annuus Annual sunflower
Sisyrinchium campestre Blue-eyed grass
Astragalus crassicarpus Ground plum
Onosmodium molle False gromwell
Prenanthes aspera Rough rattlesnakeroot
Tradescantia bracteata Long-bracted spiderwort
Hay Meadow
Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem
Andropogon hallii Sand bluestem
Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem
Eragrostis trichodes Sand Lovegrass
Koeleria macrantha Junegrass
Panicum virgatum Switchgrass
Hesperostipa spartea Porcupine grass
Hesperostipa comata Needle and Thread
Calamagrostis inexpansa Slimstem reedgrass
Calamovilfa longifolia Sandreed grass
Panicum oligosanthes Scribner’s panicum
Sorghastrum nutans Indiangrass
Bouteloua hirsuta Hairy Grama
Elymus canadensis Canada Wildrye
Paspalum straminium Sand Paspalum
Eragrostis spectabilis Purple lovegrass
Carex pellita
Carex bicknellii
Carex brevior
Juncus
Amorpha canescens Leadplant
Oenothera rhombipetala Fourpoint evening primrose
Yucca glauca Soapweed
Aster oblongifolius Aromatic aster
Helianthus pauciflorus Stiff sunflower
Aster ericoides Heath Aster
Heterotheca villosa Golden aster
Lespedeza capitata Bush clover
Liatris squarrosa Blazing Star
Lithospermum carolinense Hairy Puccoon
Senecio plattensis Prairie ragwort
Tradescantia occidentalis Prairie Spiderwort
Rosa arkansana Prairie Rose
Asclepias arenaria Sand Milkweed
Ratibida columnifera Prairie coneflower
Solidago missouriensis Missouri goldenrod
Solidago nemoralis Gray goldenrod
Calylophus serrulatus Plains yellow primrose
Dalea villosa Silky prairie clover
Linum rigidum Yellow flax
Penstemon grandiflorus Shell-leaf penstemon
Potentilla arguta Tall cinquefoil
Gnaphalium obtusifolium Old field balsam
Solidago speciosa Showy Goldenrod
Achillea millefoium Yarrow
Antennaria neglecta Pussy-toes
Cirsium canescens Platte thistle
Erigeron strigosus Fleabane
Euthamia gymnospermoides Grassleaf Goldenrod
Froelichia floridana Field Snake Cotton
Pediomelum digitatum Palm-leaf scurfpea
Rudbeckia hirta Blackeyed susan
Lithospermum incisum Narrowleaf puccoon
Penstomen gracilis Slender Penstomen
Anemone cylindrica Candle anemone
Helianthemum bicknellii Frostweed
Helianthus petiolaris Plains sunflower
Physalis heterophylla Clammy ground cherry
Viola pedatifida Prairie violet
Dalea candida White prairie clover
Echinacea angustifolia Purple coneflower
Gentiana puberulenta Downy Gentian
Apocynum cannabinum Dogbane
Erysimum asperum Western Wallflower
Machaeranthera pinnatifida Cutleaf ironplant
Penstemon angustifolius Narrow beardtongue
Delphinium virescens Prairie larkspur
Artemisia ludoviciana White Sage
Cirsium flodmanii Flodman thistle
Grindelia squarrosa Curly-top gumweed
Vernonia fasciculata Ironwed
Sisyrinchium campestre Blue-eyed grass
Oxalis violacea Violet wood-sorrel
Prenanthes aspera Rough rattlesnakeroot
Lobelia spicata Palespike lobelia
Prunus pumila Sand cherry
Salix humilis Prairie willow