American Beakgrain
Diarrhena americana
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
iNaturalist: © ccantley (iNaturalist #186081979)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Diarrhena
- Species:
- Diarrhena americana
- USDA Symbol:
- DIAM
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- green
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Elachista hiberna
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers shaded woodland environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds benefit from cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall for natural stratification or cold stratify indoors before spring sowing.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are cold stratified
Establishment: D. americana is found within temperate deciduous forests of North America. No germination percentage or time range provided.
Source: npn.rngr.net