Rose Natal Grass
Melinis repens
- Native to:
- Aldabra, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Mark Marathon
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Melinis
- Species:
- Melinis repens
- USDA Symbol:
- MERE9
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Increases in abundance after fire; fire promotes seed germination and reduces competition.
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:
- native to open, disturbed areas and roadsides