Free Shipping on Online Seeds & Seed Mix Orders Over $100!

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages
Established Pioneer Prairie Seed Mix featuring Yellow Coneflower, Wild Bergamot, and native grasses creating diverse wildlife habitat and pollinator-friendly prairie cover.
Big Bluestem close up of red and brown seed head in prairie
Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) blooming in a native prairie planting with drooping pale pink petals
Lanceleaf Coreopsis and Foxglove Beartongue growing by wooden fence in meadow
Monarch Butterfly on Prairie Blazing Star
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) bush close up
Virginia Wildrye (Elymus virginicus) seedhead and arching stem growing in sunlight
Established Pioneer Prairie Seed Mix featuring Yellow Coneflower, Wild Bergamot, and native grasses creating diverse wildlife habitat and pollinator-friendly prairie cover.
Big Bluestem close up of red and brown seed head in prairie
Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) blooming in a native prairie planting with drooping pale pink petals
Lanceleaf Coreopsis and Foxglove Beartongue growing by wooden fence in meadow
Monarch Butterfly on Prairie Blazing Star
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) bush close up
Virginia Wildrye (Elymus virginicus) seedhead and arching stem growing in sunlight

Pioneer Prairie

Seed Mixes

1000 Sq. Ft. $35.00
1/4 Acre $170.00
1/2 Acre $330.00
3/4 Acre $485.00
1 Acre $615.00

Description

The Pioneer Prairie Seed Mix is a prairie restoration seed mix designed for dependable establishment across a wide range of site conditions. In ecology, pioneer species are the first plants to establish on newly exposed or disturbed soils after farming, construction, erosion, fire, or other land-use changes. They help stabilize soil, reduce weed pressure, and create the foundation for a healthy ecosystem. The Pioneer Prairie Mix follows this same principle, combining native grasses and wildflowers selected for adaptability, ease of establishment, and long-term habitat value.

Adapted to full sun and soils ranging from dry to mesic, this easy establishment prairie seed mix performs well in restoration projects, conservation plantings, and large landscapes. Deep-rooted native species improve soil health, support biodiversity, and create a durable planting that becomes more resilient over time.

A diverse mix of grasses and wildflowers provides season-long blooms and valuable habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Native grasses provide structure and cover, while flowering species supply nectar, pollen, and seed throughout the growing season.

Great for prairie restoration, wildlife habitat, and conservation projects, the Pioneer Prairie Mix is a practical choice when reliable establishment is a priority. For greater species diversity and a broader range of blooms, consider our “Showy Savanna” High Diversity Prairie Mix. For wetter sites such as drainageways, floodplains, and low-lying areas, consider our Bottomland Blend.

Range Map

Seed Mix range map. This blend works best in zones 4 through 8.

Click to open in new tab.

Composition

Pioneer Prairie Seed Mix Composition
Common Name (Latin Name) % by Weight
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum var. CIR) 5.8
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) 12.0
Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) 9.6
Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) 4.8
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) 12.5
Virginia Wildrye (Elymus virginicus) 5.3
Canada Wildrye (Elymus canadensis) 6.2
Composite Dropseed (Sporobolus compositus) 1.0
Troublesome Sedge (Carex molesta) 0.3
Fox Sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) 0.2
Plains Oval Sedge (Carex brevior) 0.5
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) 10.9
Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) 9.6
Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) 1.0
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) 1.0
Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) 1.9
Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) 1.4
Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) 0.5
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) 0.5
Stiff Goldenrod (Oligoneuron rigidum / Solidago rigida) 1.0
Gray-headed Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) 2.4
Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) 2.4
White Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba) 1.0
Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium) 0.6
Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) 0.5
Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) 1.0
Sweet Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) 1.2
Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) 2.7
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) 1.4
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) 1.0
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) 0.1

Print (opens in new tab): 2024-2025 Pioneer Prairie Seed Mix

Details

Lbs/Acre12.07
PLS/Square Foot64.16
Best ForContractors, Home Gardens, Pollinators
Mix ContainsForbs, Grasses, Legumes, Sedges
Sun RequirementsFull Sun, Partial Sun
Soil MoistureDry, Dry-Mesic, Mesic
BenefitsBees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Monarch, Pollinators, Small Mammals
Max Height7-8'
USDA Zones4 - 8
Bloom ColorsBlue, Pink, Purple, White, Yellow
Flowering PeriodFall, Late Spring, Summer
LifespanAnnual, Biennial, Perennial

Seeds & Seed Mixes:

Seeds and seed mixes ship nationwide, year-round, typically within 3–5 business days. If you would like to postpone a seed mix shipment until fall, please note this at checkout.

Live Plants:

Live plants are available year-round while inventory lasts and ship to all states except California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii. After your order is placed, we’ll contact you to coordinate a spring shipping window, as many plants are overwintered and ship once dormancy breaks.

Estimated shipping for 2026 plant orders begins in mid-April, weather permitting.

If you’re looking to secure plants in advance or need larger quantities for a project, we offer contract growing options. Contact us to discuss your needs and request a quote. Additional species not listed online may also be available through contract grow.

Live Stakes:

Live stakes are available by request only and must be ordered by submitting a contact form. Ordering is open seasonally from November 1 through February 28. A minimum of 100 stakes per order is required, with at least 25 stakes per species.

Live stakes ship only to the following states: Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa.

PLS stands for Pure Live Seed, an industry-standard measure of seed quality. It reflects the portion of seed in a batch that is viable and capable of germinating.

What this means for you: when you purchase 1 lb. of PLS seed, the physical weight of the seed you receive will be slightly more than 1 lb. That’s because we account for non-viable seed and natural inert material upfront, so you receive a full pound of live, plantable seed.

Many companies sell bulk seed by total weight, which can include filler and non-viable seed. By pricing based on PLS, we make sure you’re getting exactly what you paid for—high-quality native seed with more predictable, successful germination.

Want to dive deeper? Check out our in-depth article on what PLS is and why it matters.