General Landscape Uses:
Groundcover in sunny moist soils. Wildflower gardens.
Ecological Restoration Notes: A widespread and common understory grass of open uplands and short hydroperiod wetlands, but rather weedy in disturbed ecosystems.
Availability:
Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida. Available in Boynton Beach at
Sustainscape (561-245-5305).
Description: Small to medium herbaceous clumping grass.
Dimensions: Typically 6-18 inches in height. About as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southeastern United States west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies, southern Mexico and Belize.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Pinelands, prairies and open coastal areas.
Soils: Moist to wet, well-drained or occasionally inundated freshwater or brackish soils.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Whitish inflorescence.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy inflorescence.
Flowering Season: Summer-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous caryopsis.
Wildlife and Ecology: Birds eat the abundant seeds. Attracts pollinators.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
References: Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual
(2005).
Comments: Can become somewhat weedy in open, disturbed sites. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
