With a late start to summer, it may feel as though this season shouldn’t be ending, but the park’s native warm-season grasses can be seen swaying in the wind, marking the beginning of fall. While these grasses may not appear as beautiful at surface level, they hold their own beauty and benefit. The gray-blue blades of Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) and the yellow seed heads of Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) are especially beautiful during sunrises and sunsets. And if you’re lucky, you might smell the sweet, nutty scent of Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)  on the wind; some say it even smells like popcorn. This unique grass can be found along the Kid’s Prairie trails and the wetland prairie gravel path. These grasses are important to the nutrient cycle of the prairie and help provide protection and food for wildlife during colder months. We hope to see you in the park, enjoying this changing landscape!