The species selection prioritizes nitrogen-fixing legumes, long-blooming wildflowers, and proven insect-producing forbs that establish well when drilled or frost-seeded into standing cover. Smaller, non-aggressive grasses are intentionally excluded so wildflowers can persist and spread over time.
What Sets This Mix Apart
Many pollinator mixes fail when drilled into existing cover because grasses outcompete forbs. This mix avoids that problem by focusing on high-value wildflowers and legumes that tolerate competition, ensuring visible blooms and functional habitat improvements within the first 1–2 growing seasons.
Includes (#s/ac): Milkweed, Butterfly (Butterflyweed) (0.3346), Aromatic Aster, PA Ecotype (0.0326), Partridge Pea (0.3433), Mistflower, Blue (0.0149), Coreopsis, Plains (0.2548), Tick-Trefoil, Panicledleaf, PA Ecotype (1.3322), Aster, Flat-topped (Parasol Whitetop) (0.0467), Sneezeweed (0.0733), Sunflower, False (Oxeye) (1.3878), Lespedeza, Roundhead (Bushclover) (0.8985), Bergamot, Wild (Prairie Beebalm) (0.1926), Mint, Dotted (Spotted Bee Balm) (0.1687), Beardtongue, Foxglove (Smooth penstemon) (0.0874), Hoary mountain mint (0.1024), Susan, Black-eyed (0.0639), American senna (0.1575), Goldenrod, Gray (Field) (Old Field) (0.0089). Created January 2026.
NRCS Fit:
- 327 – Conservation Cover
- 645 – Upland Wildlife Habitat Management
- Compatible with PA NRCS Conservation Planting Guide (2025)
This mix is especially effective for:
- Quail, turkey, and songbird brood habitat
- Pollinator and beneficial insect enhancement
- NRCS habitat improvements where grass cover already exists
- Landowners looking to “upgrade” older CRP or pasture without full renovation
Why Interseed This Mix
- Forb-forward design keeps grass dominance in check
- Legume-rich to support soil health and insect production
- 40 seeds/ft² at 5.5 PLS lbs/ac — optimized for drill interseeding
- Compatible with Great Plains native grass drills (small-seed + fluffy-seed boxes)
- Meets NRCS diversity expectations even if individual species fail
Establishment Notes
- Designed for interseeding, not bare soil
- Ideal for late fall dormant seeding or early spring planting
- Use proper drill box separation for small vs. fluffy seed
- Light grazing, mowing, or prescribed disturbance improves long-term success
Recommended Great Plains Drill Setup
PA biologists were consulted during development of these mixes and recommended splitting small vs. fluffy/large seed to reduce hopper segregation and maintain accurate seeding ratios in a Great Plains conservation drill.
Native / Fluffy Seed Box
Use this box for chaffy, bulky, fluffy, and larger-seeded legumes/forbs. These meter better together and are less likely to separate in the hopper.
BOX 1 — Native / Fluffy Seed Box
- Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) — 0.343
- Panicled tick-trefoil (Desmodium paniculatum) — 1.332
- Smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides) — 1.388
- Round-head bush-clover (Lespedeza capitata) — 0.899
- American senna (Senna hebecarpa) — 0.158
- Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) — 0.335
Native / Fluffy box subtotal: 4.455 PLS lbs/ac
Great Plains notes (Native / Fluffy box)
- Picker wheels ON
- Agitator slow-to-medium
- Avoid high fan speed (can fracture milkweed & senna)
- Target depth: ⅛–¼ inch
Small Seed Box
Use this box for fine-seeded wildflowers/forbs that should be surface-set or planted very shallow.
BOX 2 — Small Seed Box
- Aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) — 0.033
- Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) — 0.015
- Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) — 0.255
- Flat-topped white aster (Doellingeria umbellata) — 0.047
- Purple sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum) — 0.073
- Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) — 0.193
- Spotted bee-balm (Monarda punctata) — 0.169
- Tall white beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) — 0.087
- Hoary mountain mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) — 0.102
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) — 0.064
- Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) — 0.009
Small seed box subtotal: 1.045 PLS lbs/ac
Great Plains notes (Small Seed Box)
- Use small-seed cups (not grass flutes)
Carrier strongly recommended: pelletized lime, rice hulls, cracked corn, or clean sand
- Mix ratio: 1 part seed : 3 parts carrier (by volume)
- Close depth bands → drop on surface
- Pack firmly with press wheels or a roller
Planting Order
Option A — One-pass (preferred)
- Run both boxes simultaneously if calibration allows.
Option B — Two-pass (safest for forb establishment)
- Native / Fluffy box first (⅛–¼ inch)
- Small Seed box second (surface-set + pack)
If you would like to separate your seeds or order rice hulls, please contact Brooke at bmorgan@pheasantsforever.org
Note: All of our mixes can be customized to meet your needs.
