What kind of grasses

[gps4]

I'm from MS and I see many grasses growing in SD fields that I do not know the names for. Some grasses are light, but curly bladed, shin-to-knee high and easy to walk through; some are over head high, bright yellow/gold with puffy heads (not the corndog looking heads) on them, some are about waist-to-shoulder high and seem to have straw-like stalks; Some grown in clumps that are usually waist high.

I'd like to become familiar with names of the different grasses so i can identify them while im in the field. Can anyone offer up the names of the common grasses one would find in SE SD so I can do some research to figure out what I may be looking at?

Thanks!

 

[benelli-banger]

When my field was seeded about 16 years ago the mix was switchgrass, big bluestem, little bluestem, western wheatgrass, Indian grass…purple prairie clover..,side oats gamma…todays mixes are different…I like the first 3 a lot, probably ignorant of others and what they offer…

 

[WDH]

Here are my best guesses at what you are seeing. Smooth brome, phragmites, Switch grass, tall wheatgrass.
Others common in addition to what Benelli-banger stated, Oahe intermediate, pubesant wheatgrass and green needlegrass.
There are booklets that may be avaialble from the NRCS and NDSU extension service.. "Grasses for the Northern Plains. Two volumes, # 1 Cool Season, @ #2 Warm Season. Don't know if still in print but its a place to start...