Tropical Cupgrass
Eriochloa barbatus
- Native to:
- Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Gulf of Guinea Is., Gulf States, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Eriochloa
- Species:
- Eriochloa barbatus
- USDA Symbol:
- ERFA3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- As a warm-season grass, it typically resprouts from the base after fire and may benefit from periodic burning to reduce competition.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in open, disturbed areas