What is an Antelope-brush needle-and-thread shrub steppe grassland?
Grasslands, or steppes, are ecosystems dominated by grasses. In the South Okanagan and Similkameen our grasslands are scattered with sagebrush and different native bunch grasses such as bluebunch wheatgrass, needle-and-thread grass and sand dropseed. Antelope-brush needle-and-thread shrub steppe grasslands are a less common type of grassland, extending mainly from Osoyoos to Skaha Lake.They are characterized by the large, often gnarled looking Antelope-brush. The tiny three-lobed leaves of this shrub are a nutritious source of food for deer and bighorn sheep. In the spring, each shrub is covered with thousands of fragrant yellow flowers that fill the desert air with perfume.
