The Bison, the Lead Plant, & the Fossils of the Loess Hills, Iowa
Added 2025-09-23 16:00:13 +0000 UTCThe Loess Hills are deposits of wind-blown "glacial flour" hills that line the Little Sioux and Missouri River near the Iowa/South Dakota border. In this episode we take a look at the bison herd on the Broken Kettle Grasslands, the ocean of Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) and Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), and the stands of lead plant (Amorpha canescens) that thrive on top of the ridges. This landscape is a treasure that allows us to glimpse an idea of what much of the landscape must've looked like before 99% of it was turned into monocrop agriculture.
Comments
I was told that it was pronounced "Luss." Interesting. I never know how to pronounce it as a result. My profs said Luss. I normally pronounce it like you do. Another great video about my favorite ecosystem! I've tried to grow Amorpha many times, and have never had any luck with it, even when planted with an inoculant. I think it might not be dry enough here...we're right on the edge of a large lake that went away thousands of years ago. If you go the the corner of Rtes 12 and 120, you're right in the middle of the lake. It's flat as all get out. They'll be building stuff on it soon, of course, and no one will know where the lake was. There should be a memorial plaque put up for it. Part of my back yard floods, so I'm just going to do away with the grass and plant a bunch of native marsh plants. Hope you come back this way again soon!
April Hughes
2025-09-24 18:07:33 +0000 UTCThanks a ton for coming to Omaha and getting a chance to meet you and Al. I've been waiting for a local prairie video for a hot minute and this was awesome. Amorpha sp. is my favorite native plant and I love to see it showcased.
Jim the Gardner
2025-09-24 03:20:32 +0000 UTC
