Sandplain Grassland Plant Community
The Sandplain Grassland is a rare plant community that occurs near the coast in southern Maine. They emerge on flat sandy plains, especially in places where ancient glaciers melted and the runoff deposited sand and gravel. The soil is very well-drained and acidic. Historically, these communities were more frequent, maintained by controlled burnings by Indigenous peoples. Today, one of the only existing Sandplain Grasslands in Maine exists at the Kennebunk Plains Preserve, which is periodically burned to prevent the plant community from shifting to something else.
As the name suggests, Sandplain Grasslands mostly consist of graminoids—grasses, sedges, and rushes. Frequent inhabitants include Little Bluestem, Poverty Oatgrass, and Woodland Sedge. There may be some wildflowers present as well, such as Northern Blazingstar, Whorled Loosestrife, and Wood Lily. A patchy shrub layer exists, with Lowbush Blueberry being the most dominant shrub. Sweetfern and Black Chokeberry can be found here as well. There may be a few trees sprinkled about, such as Gray Birch, a common pioneer species. Up to a third of the ground may be unvegetated, usually with dead plant litter.
The many grasses in the Sandplain Grassland are host plants for a variety of butterflies and moths, such as the Cobweb Skipper, Graceful Clearwing, Persius Duskywing, and Frosted Elfin. This habitat type is also provides crucial nesting habitat for rare ground-nesting birds like the Grasshopper Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, and Short-eared Owl. Grasslands are also habitat for the rare Northern Black Racer snake, which hunts actively in low-growth vegetation during the day.
Little Bluestem
Little Bluestem is a grass that is native to almost all of the U.S. Often a prairie grass, it tolerates heat and drought well, with roots reaching down six feet at maturity! The flat grass blades often bend and are multicolored—they are blue-green with a purplish base in spring and summer, and they turn copper red in fall. The silvery-white, feathery seed tufts often persist into winter. The seeds each have an awn, or hair-like bristle, which helps them attach to animal fur for dispersion. This awn often bends at a 90 degree angle. Little Bluestem gets its name from the blue and purple color in the leaves, with the adjective “little” because it only grows up to four feet. This helps to distinguish from the similar looking Big Bluestem, which can reach eight feet tall!
Across the U.S., Little Bluestem was historically used as food for livestock, both in the field and dried into hay. With its deep roots and hardiness, Little Bluestem also makes an excellent grass for erosion control. When planted in swaths, it makes a beautiful field year-round. The blue-green color is delightful in spring and summer, but it certainly pops in fall and winter with red hues!Because it is so prevalent in fields such as Sandplain Grasslands, Little Bluestem is a food plant for numerous insects such as grasshoppers, leaf-mining beetles, leafhoppers, and skipper larvae. The seeds are eaten by songbirds, and its clumping habit makes it great for nesting and roosting.
Northern Blazingstar
This rare wildflower is a perfect match for the Sandplain Grassland habitat. In fact, this plant community is one of the only places Northern Blazingstar is found in the wild, because it needs periodic controlled burns to moderate seed predator abundance and encourage new growth. It prefers drier soils, and grows about 2-3 feet tall. The leaves are long, and thin blades, and there are multiple flowers on each flower stem. Its buds and flowers have a reddish-pink base, and the thistle-like, star-shaped, bright purple flowers bloom from July to September. The long and thin styles, a part of the female reproductive organ, extend outwards to create a shaggy appearance. The small flowers bloom in one bunch, as opposed to Dense Blazingstar, which has an elongated flower spike.
The common name comes from its small native range in the north, the “blazing” color, and the star-shaped flowers. The beautiful color and interesting flower shape make this an excellent addition to a cut flower bouquet! Northern Blazingstar is an important plant for wildlife as well. The late-season flowers are a great food source for pollinators. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies feed on the nectar, especially the migrating Monarch butterfly. Songbirds eat the numerous seeds in fall and early winter, and the foliage is browsed by deer and rabbits.
Black Chokeberry
Black Chokeberry is a small, multi-stemmed tree that reaches about eight feet at maturity. It is tolerant of many different growing conditions, and it has a suckering habit that leads it to gradually form thickets. The leaves are rounded, finely toothed, glossy, and deep green, often with an orange or red leaf here and there. In autumn, the rest of the leaves will follow, turning bright orange or red before falling. A key way to identify this tree is to look for very fine hairs along the midrib of the leaf, although you may need a magnifying glass to do so! In the spring, Black Chokeberry has clusters of white flowers with five round petals each. The flowers have lovely pink anthers, and the flower buds are sometimes pink as well. In late summer, the fruit ripens, turning deep purple to black. The berries are edible raw, but they are so astringent that they may make you pucker or “choke.”
Although it may be unpleasant to eat chokeberries raw, they are delicious with the addition of sugar! They make great jams, jellies, wines, and health drinks—essentially, they can be used the way you would use any other berry. They also make a great natural colorant for foods and dyes. Black Chokeberry has become a cash crop in Europe, especially in Poland, where 90% of global production occurs. It has gained popularity because it is cold resistant and has a high fruit yield, and it is also considered a “superfood.” The berries have high levels of anthocyanins and flavonoids, both of which are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory. In fact, chokeberries have many more antioxidants than other cold-weather fruits, even up to three times more than blueberries! Once harvested, the berries are made into health juices, supplements, and more.
Undeterred by the tart taste, songbirds and grouse will happily eat Black Chokeberries raw. The prolific flowers are also important for pollinators in the spring, and deer may browse the foliage and branches.
To learn more about Sandplain Grasslands, check out our upcoming webinar and in-person plant walk.
Natural Communities Webinar: Sandplain Grasslands & Late Summer Bloom, Wednesday, August 19, 5:30-6:30 pm
Late summer reveals one of Maine’s most unique and threatened ecosystems: sandplain grasslands. This webinar explores the ecology of these dry, disturbance-dependent systems, highlighting grasses, wildflowers, and the specialized wildlife adapted to nutrient-poor soils. Participants will learn how fire, mowing, and historical land use maintain these communities, and how late-season flowering supports pollinators at a critical time of year. Register here >
Natural Communities Visit: Kennebunk Plains in Peak Bloom, Thursday, August 20, 5:30-7 pm
This guided walk will focus on plant identification, habitat structure, and the role of disturbance in maintaining this rare ecosystem. Participants will also learn about conservation efforts and the importance of these habitats for declining species. Register here >
