General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also margins or freshwater ponds and lakes.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida.
Description: Medium to large herbaceous grass.
Dimensions: Typically 2-4 feet in height; to 6 feet when in flower. Spreading from underground stems (rhizomes) and forming large patches.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States north to New Jersey, west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Marshes and swamps.
Soils: Wet, poorly-drained organic soils.
Nutritional Requirements: High; requires rich organic soils for optimal growth.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: Brownish inflorescence.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season: Spring-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous caryopsis.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides cover for spawning fish.
Larval host for clouded skipper (
Lerema accius) and Delaware skipper (
Anatrytone logan) butterflies.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed and divisions.
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