Clump Grasses

by Gene Gade

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WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH GRASSES THAT FORM A SOD, A THICK MAT OF VEGETATION THAT IS CONNECTED UNDERGROUND BY ROOTS AND STEMS.

HOWEVER IN WYOMING AND ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST, MANY GRASS SPECIES DO NOT FORM A SOD. INSTEAD, THEY GROW IN CLUMPS, SOMETIMES WITH LOTS OF BARE SPACES IN BETWEEN PLANTS.

SO WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? ISN'T THIS BARE GROUND A WASTE OF PRODUCTIVE SPACE, A PLACE WHERE WEEDS AND EROSION CAN OCCUR?

ACTUALLY, BUNCH GRASSES MAKE A LOT OF SENSE IN PLACES THAT DON'T GET A LOT OF RAIN.

BUNCH GRASSES HAVE EXTENSIVE ROOT SYSTEMS THAT BRANCH OUT INTO THOSE SEEMINGLY BARE SPACES BETWEEN PLANTS. THEY VERY EFFICIENTLY ABSORB ANY RAIN OR SNOW THAT FALLS THERE AND CONCENTRATE IT INTO THE CLUMP AND VERTICAL GROWTH.

BUNCH GRASSES OFTEN PRODUCE AS MUCH OR EVEN MORE FORAGE ON THE SAME SITE AS LOW GROWING SOD FORMERS AND THEY HOLD THE SOIL EQUALLY WELL.

WHEN YOU SEE BUNCH GRASSES GROWING ON WYOMING RANGE LAND YOU ARE JUST SEEING ANOTHER ADAPTATION TO OUR DRY CLIMATE. BUNCH GRASSES ARE OFTEN A SIGN OF HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY. I'M GENE GADE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE.