Butler Prairie
The Butler University Prairie was established in 1987 by the Holcomb Research Institute and Butler University. Located between the Indianapolis Water Company Canal and the White River, the prairie serves as an outdoor laboratory for Butler ecology courses, as a public educational resource, and as a natural area for birds and wildlife.
This is a fine place to visit in conjunction with Butler Basins, which are located at the northeast corner of campus; look for lots and lots of wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) in August.
Butler Basins
Installed in 2007, two stormwater detention basins north of Butler Bowl handle runoff from the northeast corner of campus. Permeable basin floors regulate infiltration of rainwater back into the aquifer, diverting it from local city storm sewers.
The banks and floors of the basins are planted in native perennials based on their relationship to water levels during storm events. Used also as a botanical study area, the plant list at the basins is incredibly diverse, and species are grouped to maximize plant community interaction.
Kevin Tungesvick of Spence Restoration Nursery collaborated with RATIO Architects to design and specify the plant palette for this installation.
Included below is a schematic drawing of the installation along with the proposed plant lists (downloadable as an Excel file). Used together, these tool enable one to do a fair amount of botanizing in this small space.
Plants at the basin floors have not thrived well, and some unwelcome guests have shown up along the banks, but overall this area still remains a great place to observe native perennials throughout the year.
Layout
- Click on diagram to enlarge
Plant Lists
| Quantity | Bottom of Basin |
| 735 | Asclepias incarnata (Marsh Milkweed) |
| 147 | Calamagrostis canadensis (Blue-joint Grass) |
| 686 | Carex frankii (Frank’s Sedge) |
| 1127 | Carex emoryi (Riverbank Tussock Sedge ) |
| 735 | Carex vulpinoidea (Fox Sedge) |
| 294 | Hibiscus palustris (Swamp Rose Mallow) |
| 490 | Iris virginica shrevei (Blue Flag) |
| 882 | Scirpus cyperinus (Woolgrass) |
| 882 | Scirpus pendulus (Reddish Bulrush) |
| 196 | Spartina pectinata (Prairie Cordgrass) |
| 6174 | |
| Lower Slopes | |
| Mix 1 | |
| 392 | Carex vulpinoidea (Fox Sedge) |
| 196 | Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) |
| 196 | Helenium autumnale (Autumn Sneezeweed) |
| Mix 2 | |
| 392 | Carex normalis (Spreading Oval Sedge) |
| 196 | Silphium terebinthinaceum (Prairie Dock) |
| 196 | Sorghastrum nutans (Indian Grass) |
| Mix 3 | |
| 196 | Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) |
| 392 | Carex annectans xanthocarpa (Yellow Fox Sedge) |
| 196 | Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) |
| Mix 4 | |
| 98 | Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders) |
| 392 | Carex vulpinoidea (Fox Sedge) |
| 294 | Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia) |
| Mix 5 | |
| 196 | Chelone obliqua (Pink Turtlehead) |
| 196 | Silphium integrifolium (Rosinweed) |
| 392 | Carex vulpinoidea (Fox Sedge) |
| Mix 6 | |
| 294 | Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster) |
| 392 | Carex annectans xanthocarpa (Yellow Fox Sedge) |
| 98 | Solidago riddellii (Riddell’s Goldenrod) |
| Mix 7 | |
| 392 | Elymus virginicus (Virginia Wild Rye) |
| 196 | Mimulus ringens (Monkeyflower) |
| 196 | Vernonia fasciculata (Smooth Ironweed) |
| Mix 8 | |
| 392 | Carex annectans xanthocarpa (Yellow Fox Sedge) |
| 196 | Rudbeckia subtomentosa (Sweet Black-Eyed Susan) |
| 196 | Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem) |
| Mix 9 | |
| 392 | Carex vulpinoidea (Fox Sedge) |
| 196 | Cassia hebecarpa (Wild Senna) |
| 196 | Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) |
| Mix 10 | |
| 392 | Carex annectans xanthocarpa (Yellow Fox Sedge) |
| 196 | Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower) |
| 196 | Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) |
| Mix 11 | |
| 196 | Senecio aureus (Golden Ragwort) |
| 392 | Carex annectans xanthocarpa (Yellow Fox Sedge) |
| 196 | Solidago rugosa (Wrinkled Goldenrod) |
| Upper Slopes | |
| Mix 1 – Short stature | |
| 392 | Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed) |
| 196 | Aster ericoides (Heath Aster) |
| 196 | Coreopsis palmata (Plains Coreopsis) |
| Mix-2 Short stature | |
| 392 | Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed) |
| 98 | Solidago nemoralis (Gray Goldenrod) |
| 294 | Allium cernuum (Nodding Wild Onion) |
| Mix 3 – Short stature | |
| 392 | Bouteloua curtipendula (Side-Oats Grama) |
| 196 | Carex muhlenbergii (Sand Bracted Sedge) |
| 196 | Petalostemum purpureum (Purple Prairie Clover) |
| Mix 4 – Short stature | |
| 392 | Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed) |
| 49 | Silene regia (Royal Catchfly) |
| 343 | Aster ericoides (Heath Aster) |
| Mix 5 – Short stature | |
| 196 | Carex muhlenbergii (Sand Bracted Sedge) |
| 196 | Liatris aspera (Rough Blazing Star) |
| 392 | Bouteloua curtipendula (Side-Oats Grama) |
| Mix 6 – Short stature | |
| 196 | Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) |
| 392 | Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) |
| 196 | Aster laevis (Smooth Aster) |
| Mix 7 – Short stature | |
| 392 | Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) |
| 196 | Liatris scariosa var nieuwlandii (Savanna Blazing Star) |
| 196 | Coreopsis palmata (Plains Coreopsis) |
| Mix 8 – Medium stature | |
| 392 | Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) |
| 392 | Helianthus occidentalis (Western Sunflower) |
| Mix 9 – Medium stature | |
| 392 | Sorghastrum nutans (Indian Grass) |
| 196 | Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster) |
| 196 | Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower) |
| Mix 10 – Medium stature | |
| 392 | Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) |
| 196 | Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master) |
| 196 | Heliopsis helianthoides (False Sunflower) |
| Mix 11 – Medium stature | |
| 196 | Rudbeckia subtomentosa (Sweet Black-Eyed Susan) |
| 392 | Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) |
| 196 | Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders) |
| Mix 12 – Medium stature | |
| 196 | Monarda fistulosa (Bergamot) |
| 392 | Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) |
| 196 | Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) |
| Mix 13 – Medium stature | |
| 196 | Pycnanthemum virginianum (Mountain Mint) |
| 392 | Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) |
| 196 | Aster laevis (Smooth Aster) |
| Mix 14 – Medium stature | |
| 392 | Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed) |
| 196 | Aster azureus (Sky Blue Aster) |
| 196 | Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (Narrowleaf Mountain Mint) |
|
Download as an Excel file: Butler Basins plant lists |