Florida gamagrass, Dwarf Fakahatchee grass
Tripsacum floridanum
Poaceae


Landscape Uses:

Accent grass. Massing groundcover in open, dry areas. Also wildflower and rock gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Widely cultivated. Available in Homestead at Plant Creations Inc. (305-248-8147) and in Boynton Beach at Sustainscape (561-245-5305).
Description:
Medium herbaceous grass
Height:
About 2-3 feet in height; to 4 feet when in flower. About as broad as tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
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:
Pine rocklands and marl prairies.
Soils:
Moist, well-drained limestone soils, without humus.
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:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Anthers orange, stigma purple.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy inflorescence.
Flowering Season:
All year.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous caryopsis.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Birds eat the fruits.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed and division.
Comments:
It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida.


Eric Fleites
Keith A. Bradley