Elastic Grass
Eragrostis tenuifolia
- Native to:
- Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Oman, Réunion, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Harry Rose (www.flickr.com) from South West Rocks, Australia
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Eragrostis
- Species:
- Eragrostis tenuifolia
- USDA Symbol:
- ERTE19
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep,oct
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- As a warm-season grass, it can resprout from the base following fire.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Common in open grasslands and disturbed areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with light and warmth; no pretreatment typically required.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI