CP4D — Permanent Wildlife Habitat
USDA CP4D permanent wildlife habitat mix: native grasses, forbs, and shrub component.
CP4D is the USDA's permanent wildlife habitat practice — a diverse native grass and forb blend with an optional shrub component that delivers year-round cover for upland birds, small mammals, and songbirds. Our CP4D mix layers a warm-season grass matrix with 8–12 native forbs and shrub islands sized to your county spec.
At a glance
- Seeding rate
- 6–8 lbs PLS/acre
- Coverage / sizes
- Sold by the acre; shrub component priced separately
- When to plant
- Dormant seeding Nov–Mar; frost seeding into February works well.
- Site fit
- Upland cropland retirement across the Midwest and Great Plains.
Highlights
- Big bluestem, Indiangrass, little bluestem, switchgrass grass matrix
- 8–12 native forbs across three bloom windows
- Optional shrub islands: plum, dogwood, hazelnut
- Meets USDA CP4D permanent wildlife habitat spec
Common use cases
- — CP4D CRP contracts on upland cropland
- — Multi-year upland gamebird cover
- — Songbird and small-mammal habitat restoration
FAQ
Do I have to include shrubs in a CP4D planting?
Most state CP4D specs require a shrub component in defined islands or edges. We build the shrub package to your county sheet.
How is CP4D different from CP25?
CP4D emphasizes permanent wildlife cover with shrubs. CP25 targets rare and declining prairie plant communities with higher forb diversity.
Recommended in these states
CP4D — Permanent Wildlife Habitat appears in our state guides for the regions below. Jump straight to this mix's card on the state guide.
Plant warm-season natives from February through April in most of Texas, or in late summer ahead of fall moisture in the Panhandle. Dormant winter seeding works in the northern Panhandle but is risky on the Gulf side, where warm spells trigger early germination.
February through April is the primary window for warm-season natives statewide. Late-winter dormant seeding works well in the Panhandle and northern tier; avoid seeding into summer heat.
Related mixes
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