They are the primary visual evidence of wavy seed heads and tall stems undulating with pulses of summer winds. The term “sea of waving grasses” has been used in other publications to help readers equate similarities to ocean waves pulsating up and down.

Grassland species account for over 90 percent of the total weight of yearly plant growth. A wide variety of grass species can be identified by both the casual observer or trained botanist.

Early during a spring warmup from a long cold winter past, there will be a flush of cool-season species. They are called cool-season because of their preference for spring season growing

conditions and early seed production that is accomplished before July 1, on average.

More significant warm-season grasses wait for true warmth and late summer timing to get on with their business of seed production. Some examples include big bluestem with its characteristic three spiked “turkey foot” seed head on top of 6, 7 or 8 foot tall stems.

Indiangrass is another main attraction of tall-stemmed native grass with a plume-like seed head. Together, these two grasses are commonly associated with and help identify tall grass prairies. Now add in Prairie dropseed, a bunch of grass and well drained soils. Well drained soils are common at this sand prairie, and since the main soil types are made up of a high percentage of wind-blown fine sand, ideal for many species.

The fine leaves of prairie dropseed fan out a full 360 degrees from the growth center, leaving the impression and reality of a big clump and base. After a scheduled periodic controlled fire, portions of the land will resemble numerous “bumps” or root masses from any of the bunch grass types.

What we see as tall grasses and flowers above ground is impressive. However, if we could slice through the soil profile, like cutting through a multi-layer cake, and expose the soil horizons below surface, the root growths of all the prairie plants would form an intermingling dense root mass with some roots penetrating well beyond six feet deep.

Some roots like those of compass plants will go down 15 feet. The mix of prairie plant roots will have some with shallow roots, and others deeper, all with the end goal of finding moisture and nutrient sources. Easily, 90 percent of a prairie plant’s mass will be below ground level.

Botanists have documented and cataloged a tad over 300 species of all kinds of plants at the Marietta Sand Prairie. As a general statement, Iowa prairies may have 72 different species of grasses. The grass family has more species among the prairie vegetation than any other

plant family.

Add to these grasses are members of the daisy or sunflower families and pea or legumes. Up to about 50 daisy species may be found and about 25 species of pea family. Partridge pea is just one that is very common at the Sand Prairie.

To help round out a species list, add members of the rose family, buttercup, milkweed, mint, sedge and parsley families. Blazing star is an example of the daisy family.

I must add a brief comment about how plants get named. It is a long story actually, and much of it was associated with its observed or beneficial traits to settlers. Whatever the common name that was given, those names sometimes were related to the appearance of or description

of the leaves and flowers.

If some plants were not as well thought of for whatever the reason, a tag along name was added. That tag name was “weed.” So even today we are stuck with lots of plant names ending with weed, even if the plant is not a true weed. Butterfly milkweed is very beneficial to many insects, yet its name may imply a negative connotation.

Today’s image of Dr. Pease admiring a Joe-Pye weed is one example. Is this plant a weed? No. But the definition of a weed is any plant growing where we humans do not want it.

Corn in a soybean field fits that description. Dandelions in a vegetable garden will work also.

As to the native Joe-Pye weed, it was thought that it may have had medicinal purposes to help cure or alleviate health issues. American Indians during the early years of eastern USA settlement called the plant Jo-pi, and the settlers easily associated those phonetics to write it as Joe-Pye.

Now that the North American 2023 Prairie Conference is history, a bit of a summary can be written. Over 600 participated in whole or in part during the four days of the conference during late June.

Yes, there were University professors, academic scientists and professional biologists, and a lot of the attendees were landowners interested to learn new ideas and tell of the things they have done that seem to work.

There were many land managers on hand, from private arenas or public land agencies. All are visiting with each other to trade ideas.

The networking ties made and renewed at the Prairie Conference will last a long time, and Marshall County was put on the map for many of those attendees who vowed to return.

From our mid summer time of July, through October, the Sand Prairie will really start to show its best features as tall grasses dominate.

Sand Lovegrass is shorter and finer featured, but it will also dominate in the months ahead. Learning how a prairie works helps us to understand the unique ways that Mother Nature has drafted for plant life survival in unique soils and unique landscapes. The more one studies prairies, the more this vegetation type grows on you in terms of wanting to learn more.

I think that is a good thing. We all can learn to admire the Marietta Sand Prairie.

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A summer program to note is coming on July 17 at the Grimes Farm. During lunch hour from 11:30 to 12:30, a program on identifying Iowa’s birds will be offered by Naturalist Intern Bill Carey. He will lead the attendees on a hike at the Grimes Farm.

Wear good shoes for walking, bring binoculars and your favorite bird ID book. This is a free program, but please pre-register by calling 641-752-5490 by July 14.

You can also send an email to mccb@marshallcountyia.gov. A third option is for texting only, by using 641-758-9777.

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Marshall County lands have seen some sporadic rains recently, but did you know how much water can be held in a saturated atmosphere in the form of clouds and humidity? One estimate I recently read about says that a typical fluffy white cloud could have as much as 16 tons of water inside.

It still takes the right atmospheric circumstances for that water to fall out as rain, not just held in suspension. Also, a rain of one inch will deposit 325,850 gallons of water on each and every acre!

If the rain falls slowly, a lot of that moisture will soak in. If the rain falls too quickly, a large part of it will run off. Precipitation averages about 34 inches statewide, with a range of about 26 inches in northwest Iowa to as much as 38 inches in southeast Iowa.

Every year is different and can and does vary widely. On the low side, annual rain of just 12.11 inches fell on the Clear Lake vicinity in the year 1910. Muscatine received 74.5 inches of rain in 1851.

Reliable state records really only begin from 1873. The year 1993 was wet, very wet, having 48.22 inches on a statewide average, while 1910 was the driest statewide average of 19.93 inches. Measurable precipitation takes place in about 100 days and 75 percent of that falls primarily from April through September, our growing season.

Snowfall averages about 32 inches each year. Snow season can be from October through mid-April. The earliest snow took place Sept. 16, 1881. The latest snow fell on May 28, 1947. The snowiest winter was in 1961-62 when the lands of Iowa had a statewide average of 59 inches. Lowest record snow was during 1965-66 with only 11.9 inches.

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“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” — William Shakespeare

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Garry Brandenburg is the retired director of the Marshall County Conservation Board. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS degree in Fish & Wildlife Biology.

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