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, Venezuela, Virgin Islands
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:
- Low
Wildlife Benefits
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★★★☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Draudtia revellata, Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Lacinipolia meditata
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Tolerates fire; resprouts from rhizomes after 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
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
Where to Buy
Nationwide Seller
- Prairie Moon Nursery (nursery and seeds)
- Native American Seed (nursery and seeds)
- Sheffield's Seed (seeds)