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:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct,nov
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, rose, red
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from base after fire and colonizes disturbed, burned areas readily.
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
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions without pretreatment. Light may improve germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI