Indian Sandbur
Cenchrus biflorus
- Native to:
- Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caprivi Strip, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sinai, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Ecureuil
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Cenchrus
- Species:
- Cenchrus biflorus
- USDA Symbol:
- CEBI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep,oct
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from base after fire; typical of savanna and grassland species adapted to periodic burning.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, nutrient-poor, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with warm temperatures and adequate moisture. Spiny burs can impede handling.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI