Digitgrass
Digitaria eriantha
Also known as: Digitaria smutsii
- Native to:
- Angola, Botswana, Caprivi Strip, Eswatini, Guam, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Palau, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Digitaria
- Species:
- Digitaria eriantha
- USDA Symbol:
- DIER
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, grazing mammals
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from the crown after fire. Commonly used in fire-prone savanna and rangeland systems in Africa.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to savannas and grasslands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions with adequate moisture. Light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI