Slender Hairgrass

Deschampsia elongata

Slender Hairgrass

Robert H. Mohlenbrock

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Poaceae
Genus:
Deschampsia
Species:
Deschampsia elongata

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Graminoid
Height:
3-4 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
mar, apr, may, jun, jul, aug
Ground Cover:
Yes

Native Range

United States: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Nunavut, Yukon

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
moist, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
commonly found in meadows and open woodlands

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Seeds can be sown directly without pretreatment, but can also be treated with gibberellic acid and a 5 day prechill at 5 degrees centigrade for laboratory germination.

Establishment: Seed is collected when the inflorescence begins to dry and the seed is in the soft to hard dough stage but before it shatters from the inflorescence. Trials showed no benefit from stratification. The plant is native to Western North America.

Source: npn.rngr.net