Seeds for wildflowers that grow in dry grassland habitats
Dry grasslands are habitats shaped and defined by their lack of water. Plants that thrive here have often developed special strategies to cope with dry conditions – generally by adapting so that they use the small amount of water available in the most efficient way.
They might form very deep root systems, or have succulent leaves to store water, or form special hairy or waxy leaves to reduce water loss. As dry grasslands are rarely in shade the plants that live there can tolerate a great deal of direct sunlight. Some plants in dry grasslands have evolved to survive wildfires – or even to help them happen, as in the case of grasses that need fire to germinate or to suppress other plants.
Dry grasslands may seem an extreme kind of habitat, yet they are astonishingly species-rich. Plants in these habitats have adapted to the challenges and often form diverse ecological communities. At a time of climate crisis and global warming, dry grassland plants will certainly be very useful for our domestic gardens of the future.
