|                    Seashore dropseed
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                |                    Sporobolus virginicus  
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                |                    Poaceae 
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                 Landscape Uses:
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                 Groundcover in coastal areas.  Also wildflower gardens. | 
               
                Ecological Restoration Notes:  | 
               
              
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                | Availability: | 
               
              
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                 Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. Available in in Boynton Beach at Sustainscape (561-245-5305). | 
               
              
                | Description: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Small creeping herbaceous grass. | 
               
              
                | Height: | 
               
              
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                 About 6-12 inches in height; to 18 inches when in flower.  Spreading and forming large patches much broader than tall. | 
               
              
                | Growth Rate: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Moderate. | 
               
              
                | Range: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Southeastern United States and Maryland west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. | 
               
              
                | Habitats: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Brackish coastal areas and beach dunes. | 
               
              
                | Soils: | 
               
              
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                 Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to periodically inundated brackish or saline soils, with or without organic or humusy top layer. | 
               
              
                | Nutritional Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Low to moderate; it can grow in nutrient poor soils or soils with some organic content. | 
               
              
                | Salt Water Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water. | 
               
              
                | Salt Wind Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Pioneer; grows in unconsolidated substrate in direct salt wind and spray. | 
               
              
                | Drought Tolerance: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established. | 
               
              
                | Light Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Full sun. | 
               
              
                | Flower Color: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Light brown inflorescence. | 
               
              
                | Flower Characteristics: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Inconspicuous. | 
               
              
                | Flowering Season: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 All year. | 
               
              
                | Fruit: | 
               
              
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                 Inconspicuous light brown caryopsis. | 
               
              
                | Wildlife and Ecology: | 
               
              
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                 Larval host plant for obscure skipper (Panoquina panoquinoides) butterflies. | 
               
                     
                | Horticultural Notes: | 
               
              
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                 Can be grown from seed and division. | 
               
              
                | Comments: | 
               
              
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                    George D. Gann In habitat, Delray Beach Municipal Beach, Florida, USA 2 Oct 2015, Enlarge
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