Hippo Grass
Echinochloa stagnina
- Native to:
- Andaman Is., Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Borneo, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Réunion, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
bat (Maria Vorontsova) (www.inaturalist.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Echinochloa
- Species:
- Echinochloa stagnina
- USDA Symbol:
- ECST4
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- green
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- waterfowl, birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, waterlogged clay or loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist to waterlogged
- Notes:
- Common in floodplains and wetlands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in warm, moist to flooded conditions. Light may enhance germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI