Athens High School
Representative Oak Savanna Ecosystem

     In southern Michigan, many small pockets of Oak Savannae mark the interface between prairie and forest. The habitat is characterized by the hot, dry summers, conducive to frequent fires that favour grasses over trees. These areas are often wet in the spring so that plants persisting there are adapted to both wet and dry conditions.

Plant List

Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa This is the classic American Savanna tree. It is a majestic rugged tree with beautiful summer foliage that has a dark upper surface that is accented in the wind by shimmering light undersides. This tree ranks as one of the most impressive of all trees. The champion Bur Oak grows by a rail fence in Paris, Kentucky and is 95 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter. Native Habitat: Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania, west to Manitoba and Texas. Introduced 1811.

Lowbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum These little native beauties blend well into the landscape. Two or three plants will provide many quarts of blueberries for wildlife - or humans. The foliage is a dark blue-green in summer changing to a bronze or red shades in the fall. This plant loves swampy moist, wet meadow locations. Native Habitat: Maine to Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana. Introduced 1765.

Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepsis Prairie Dropseed produces a magnificent fountain of emerald green leaves, adding a touch of elegance to almost any planting. It is also considered to be the most handsome of the prairie grasses. Habitat: Prairie, well-drained uplands. Origin: Prairie grasslands from Canada to Texas.

Canada Wild Rye Elymus canadensis This is a fast growing prairie grass. It has beautiful curving seedheads that resemble cultivated rye. Habitat: Prairie, dry soils, sand, gravel. Origin: North America

Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium This clump forming grass combines well with the prairie wildflowers. Coloration of the leaves range between blue and green hues which complement one another. These then turn a striking bright red in fall and are topped by fluffy silvery-white seed stalks. Habitat: Prairies, open woods, dry hills. Origin: Canada to Florida, and Maryland to Utah.

Junegrass Koeleria cristata This early-flowering gem produces lustrous silvery-green seedheads in early summer. It seldom exceeds 2 feet in height making it an excellent companion with shorter prairie wild flowers. Habitat: Prairie, Dry Meadows, poor soils. Origin: Northern States

Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii This is the monarch of all prairie grasses. It thrives on a tremendous range of soils. In late August it produces its distinctive three-parted seed heads, which resemble a turkey foot. The lush green of the leaves and stems change with first frost to an attractive reddish-copper color that provides landscape interest well into the winter. Habitat: Dry soils, open prairie. Origin: Oklahoma to Canada.

New England Aster Aster novae-angliae The most magnificent of all the wild asters, the New England Aster has bright purple flowers and serves as an important source of nectar for a variety of butterflies. Habitat: Wet Meadows, Thickets, rich soils. Origin: Saskatchewan, Quebec, Maine south.

Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea One of the very best for attracting butterflies, this showy and easy to grow plant adds a flashy touch to the late summer scene. Habitat: Prairies, dry clearings. Origin: Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia south.

Birdsfoot Violet Viola pedata This exquisite little plant is one of the gems of the prairie. It's light to deep blue flowers appear in early spring when most other plants are just coming up. Normally it finishes blooming by July, but if watered regularly it will continue to bloom throughout the summer. Habitat: Dry sandy fields, sunny rocks. Origin: Minnesota, Michigan, S.Ontario, New York, and Massachusetts.

Butterflyweed Asclepias tuberosa One of the most striking of all the wildflowers. It's brilliant orange flowers appear in the hottest part of the summer and are a magnet for butterflies. The root was widely used by Indians and pioneers to treat bronchial and pulmonary disorders. Habitat: Prairie, dry soil. Origin: Michigan, Minnesota, S. Ontario, Maine south.

Grey-Headded Coneflower Ratibida pinnata The large yellow flowers of this lovely plant bloom in profusion in the heat of mid-summer. It is one of the most strikingly beautiful of all the wildflowers. Habitat: Fields, prairies. Origin: Minnesota to New York and south interior.

Western Sunflower Helianthus occidentalis This favorite of the Finches, has bright yellow star-like flowers and blooms in the latter part of summer into fall. Birds avidly seek the seeds. Habitat: Oak Savanna, dry soils. Origin: Minnesota, Ohio south.

Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum One of the most distinctive of all prairie plants! Blooming in mid-spring, it produces unmistakable feathery silver and pink seed-heads. Gorgeous! Habitat: Prairies, rocky soils. Origin: Great Lakes region, Nebraska, Iowa and west.

Beardtounge Penstemon grandiflorus The large lavender flowers put on a fabulous display in late spring. This rare plant is listed as being endangered or threatened in a number of states. Habitat: Prairies Origin: East to Minnesota, Illinois and SW Missouri.

Rough Blazingstar Liatris aspersa Birds love the seeds! Butterflies love the nectar. This plant bursts into a blaze of color in late summer. The flower heads are composed of dozens of bright pink filaments that range up and down the 3-foot flower stalks. Habitat: Prairie, sandy soils, dry open places. Origin: N. Dakota to Ohio and south.