Broomsedge Bluestem
Anatherum virginicum
- Native to:
- Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guam, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, United States
iNaturalist: © jskcmg (iNaturalist #216057839)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Anatherum
- Species:
- Anatherum virginicum
- USDA Symbol:
- ANVI2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- aug,sep,oct
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Draudtia revellata, Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Lacinipolia meditata
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- orange, red
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire; common component of fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystems and benefits from periodic burning.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in open, sunny areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with light exposure and warm temperatures; fresh seed has higher viability than stored seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: None required
Establishment: Seeds are collected from various locations within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other National Park Service sites. The species is widely distributed throughout the eastern United States and grows in relatively sterile, sandy soils of abandoned fields and thin woodlands, roadsides, waste areas.
Source: npn.rngr.net