Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Deschampsia

Species:

Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. holciformis

USDA Symbol:

DEHO2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Graminoid

Height:

120 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

green, gold

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fall Color:

gold, tan

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from basal crown after fire; common in fire-maintained coastal prairies.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, fertile, well-drained loam

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers habitats like wet meadows and marshes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Light enhances germination; surface sow and keep moist.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI