Sand Lovegrass

Product Description

General Description:

Sand Lovegrass (Eragrostis trichodes) is a native, warm-season bunchgrass commonly found in the central and southern plains of the United States. It is a short-lived perennial that is tall and leafy. The Sand Lovegrass has tall, erect stems with narrow leaf blades. Leaf blades can often roll inward under dry conditions to conserve moisture that it receives. The individual florets of the plant often look purplish with yellow glumes.

Uses:

Sand Lovegrass is a very palatable grass for many classes of livestock and wildlife– it is often called the “ice cream” grass. The grass also contains fair forage value that begins as much as two weeks earlier than other warm-season grasses and last much later into the fall. The leaves and forage that are produced tend to cure well and provide good winter forage for livestock and wildlife. The Sand Lovegrass is very beneficial when provided in a mix because of its early green-up and quick recovery. Sand Lovegrass can also be used in haying situations.

Planting Conditions:

Although found in many southern plains, Sand Lovegrass has been reported in ten different central Great Plains states from Colorado to Illinois. Sand Lovegrass prefers sandy soil types (sometimes heavier soils) with a minimum of 18 inches of rain per year. Most often, the grass prefers growing on North and East facing slopes.

Establishment:

Sand Lovegrass prefers soils that are weed free and compacted firmly. With such a small seed size, it is best to broadcast spread the seed and allow it to lie on the surface of the soil. The seed should not be planted more than 1/8″ deep, if planted any deeper, germination will not be successful. The seed should be planted early spring or late fall.

Seeding Rate:

With a seed count of 1.3 million seeds per pound, Sand Lovegrass should be planted at 1.5-2.0 PLS pounds per acre.