Spike Bentgrass Seeds (Agrostis exarata)

This is a resilient and under-appreciated grass for damp spaces and wet meadows.

Spike bentgrass can hold ground against invasive reed canary grass, and still leave spaces for damp ground wildflowers such as camas to grow. In fact, its tufted growth habit and short stature (usually not more than 2-feet), leaves a lot of spaces for interesting wildflower companion plantings, as well as sedges, and other grasses.

Combine it with tufted hair grass to create a structure of tufts and clumping hummocks, contrasted by the lower, tunnel-like spaces in between. This kind of varied ground structure supports all of the most fascinating kinds of meadow organisms that we are always crouched down looking for on our own farm – predatory ground beetles, Townsend’s vole, blue garter snakes, the caterpillars of various skipper butterflies.

Spike bentgrass is a caterpillar host plant for the sublime and smoky-metallic-colored roadside skipper butterfly (Amblyscirtes vialis). Combine spike bentgrass with self-heal --  a preferred nectar source for the skipper -- and you’ve got the foundation of an entire interesting ecosystem.

Once established, this grass won’t be easily displaced by invasives - it's a carbon-dioxide capture machine, sucking CO2 from the air and channeling it into a massive fibrous root system. Its small seed size also allows for a low seeding rate to go a long way.

This is definitely a plant for full sun, and soils that are either seasonally flooded (even if they dry out in summer) or consistently damp. It's a winner in rain gardens, low areas with clay soil, ditches, bioswales, even former lawns areas that aren’t excessively drained.

10 grams (Approximately 260,000 seeds)