A group of prairie chickens flying up from the ditches near Hanna, Alta., was the inspiration behind the name of a new variety of needlegrass.
Jay Woosaree said when he saw the birds flying along the prairie, he wanted the name of the grass to represent habitat and wildlife.
He developed Grouse green needlegrass through the Alberta Research Council’s native plant development project in Vegreville.
The perennial grass took seven years to develop and is expected to be available through BrettYoung in two years. It has higher germination than most wild varieties of needlegrass, establishes quickly and does well in wet or dry conditions.
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With a deep root system, it makes a good soil stabilizer. When fully grown, it stands one to two metres tall. Woosaree expects the grass to be used as part of a mixture in land reclamation projects or in garden landscapes because of its feather like seeds and bright green colour.
The researcher said he gave BrettYoung, the company that helped finance the plant’s development, enough seed for about four acres. The first crop should be available for harvest in two years.
The Alberta Research Council is one of the few Canadian organizations developing native plant varieties for the reclamation industry. It has licences for 15 native plant cultivars and more varieties are under development.
