Native Grasses of Illinois

🌿 Start with your zip code or city & country, then add what you want — light, soil, height, bloom time, wildlife.

Switchgrass

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Family: Poaceae

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Wiry Panicgrass

Wiry Panicgrass

Panicum flexile

Family: Poaceae

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Witchgrass

Witchgrass

Panicum capillare

Family: Poaceae

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Philadelphia Panicgrass

Philadelphia Panicgrass

Panicum philadelphicum

Family: Poaceae

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Fall Panicgrass

Fall Panicgrass

Panicum dichotomiflorum

Family: Poaceae

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Gattinger's Panicgrass

Gattinger's Panicgrass

Panicum gattingeri

Family: Poaceae

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Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

Family: Poaceae

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Sand Bluestem

Sand Bluestem

Andropogon hallii

Family: Poaceae

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Woolgrass

Woolgrass

Scirpus cyperinus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Green Bulrush

Green Bulrush

Scirpus atrovirens

Family: Cyperaceae

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Blackgirdle Bulrush

Blackgirdle Bulrush

Scirpus atrocinctus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Stalked Bulrush

Stalked Bulrush

Scirpus pedicellatus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Leafy Bulrush

Leafy Bulrush

Scirpus polyphyllus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Mosquito Bulrush

Mosquito Bulrush

Scirpus hattorianus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Rufous Bulrush

Rufous Bulrush

Scirpus pendulus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Panicled Bulrush

Panicled Bulrush

Scirpus microcarpus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Georgia Bulrush

Georgia Bulrush

Scirpus georgianus

Family: Cyperaceae

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little bluestem

little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Family: Poaceae

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Common Rush

Common Rush

Juncus effusus

Family: Juncaceae

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Shore Little Bluestem

Shore Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium littorale

Family: Poaceae

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Poverty Rush

Poverty Rush

Juncus tenuis

Family: Juncaceae

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Canadian Rush

Canadian Rush

Juncus canadensis

Family: Juncaceae

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Greater Poverty Rush

Greater Poverty Rush

Juncus anthelatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Jointleaf Rush

Jointleaf Rush

Juncus articulatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Inland Rush

Inland Rush

Juncus interior

Family: Juncaceae

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Arctic Rush

Arctic Rush

Juncus arcticus

Family: Juncaceae

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Bog Rush

Bog Rush

Juncus biflorus

Family: Juncaceae

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Dudley's Rush

Dudley's Rush

Juncus dudleyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Weak Rush

Weak Rush

Juncus debilis

Family: Juncaceae

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Slimpod Rush

Slimpod Rush

Juncus diffusissimus

Family: Juncaceae

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Smallhead Rush

Smallhead Rush

Juncus brachycephalus

Family: Juncaceae

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Greene's Rush

Greene's Rush

Juncus greenei

Family: Juncaceae

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Woodland Rush

Woodland Rush

Juncus subcaudatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Torrey's Rush

Torrey's Rush

Juncus torreyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Indiangrass

Indiangrass

Sorghastrum nutans

Family: Poaceae

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Whiteroot Rush

Whiteroot Rush

Juncus brachycarpus

Family: Juncaceae

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Toad Rush

Toad Rush

Juncus bufonius

Family: Juncaceae

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Roundhead Rush

Roundhead Rush

Juncus validus

Family: Juncaceae

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Saltmeadow Rush

Saltmeadow Rush

Juncus gerardii

Family: Juncaceae

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Needlepod Rush

Needlepod Rush

Juncus scirpoides

Family: Juncaceae

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Grassleaf Rush

Grassleaf Rush

Juncus marginatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Knotted Rush

Knotted Rush

Juncus nodosus

Family: Juncaceae

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Tapertip Rush

Tapertip Rush

Juncus acuminatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Lopsided Rush

Lopsided Rush

Juncus secundus

Family: Juncaceae

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Vasey's Rush

Vasey's Rush

Juncus vaseyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Northern Green Rush

Northern Green Rush

Juncus alpinoarticulatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Tuftedstem Rush

Tuftedstem Rush

Juncus brachyphyllus

Family: Juncaceae

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Stout Rush

Stout Rush

Juncus nodatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Blue Grama

Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis

Family: Poaceae

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Canada Wildrye

Canada Wildrye

Elymus canadensis

Family: Poaceae

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Deertongue

Deertongue

Dichanthelium clandestinum

Family: Poaceae

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Sideoats Grama

Sideoats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Family: Poaceae

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Vine Mesquite

Vine Mesquite

Hopia obtusa

Family: Poaceae

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Eastern Bottlebrush Grass

Eastern Bottlebrush Grass

Elymus hystrix

Family: Poaceae

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Saltgrass

Saltgrass

Distichlis spicata

Family: Poaceae

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Southern Crabgrass

Southern Crabgrass

Digitaria ciliaris

Family: Poaceae

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Hairy Sedge

Hairy Sedge

Carex lacustris

Family: Cyperaceae

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Cosmopolitan Bulrush

Cosmopolitan Bulrush

Bolboschoenus maritimus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Long-Stolon Sedge

Long-Stolon Sedge

Carex inops

Family: Cyperaceae

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Emory's Sedge

Emory's Sedge

Carex emoryi

Family: Cyperaceae

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Native grasses and grass-like plants of Illinois, USA — for meadows, erosion control, and lawn alternatives. Many host skipper butterflies and shelter ground-nesting wildlife. Refine by light or soil above.