Arizona Cottontop

Digitaria californica

Native to:
Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Paraguay, Peru, United States, Uruguay

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Poaceae
Genus:
Digitaria
Species:
Digitaria californica
USDA Symbol:
DICA8

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Graminoid
Height:
100 cm
Light Requirements:
Part Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
jul,aug,sep,oct

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts from basal buds following fire; adapted to periodic burns in desert grassland ecosystems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
Common in arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Germination Time:
7–21 days
Notes:
Germinates readily with warm temperatures; no pretreatment typically required.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI