Florida gamagrass, Dwarf Fakahatchee grass
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Tripsacum floridanum
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Poaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Accent grass. Massing groundcover in open, dry areas. Also wildflower and rock gardens. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Widely cultivated. Available in Homestead at Plant Creations Inc. (305-248-8147) and in Boynton Beach at Sustainscape (561-245-5305). |
Description: |
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Medium herbaceous grass |
Height: |
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About 2-3 feet in height; to 4 feet when in flower. About as broad as tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Monroe and Miami-Dade counties, and rare in Martin and Collier counties; West Indies (Cuba, Hispaniola). In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key. |
Habitats: |
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Pine rocklands and marl prairies. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained limestone soils, without humus. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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Anthers orange, stigma purple. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy inflorescence. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year. |
Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous caryopsis. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Birds eat the fruits. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seed and division. |
Comments: |
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It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida. |
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