Silky Thatching Grass
Hyparrhenia dregeana
- Native to:
- Angola, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Forest and Kim Starr (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Hyparrhenia
- Species:
- Hyparrhenia dregeana
- USDA Symbol:
- HYDR4
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jan,feb,mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct,nov,dec
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Like most African savanna grasses, Hyparrhenia dregeana resprouts vigorously from the crown after fire and is adapted to periodic burning regimes.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open grasslands and savannas