Mexican Panicgrass
Panicum hirticaule
- Native to:
- Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Galápagos, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Navassa Island, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, United States
Linda L. Oestry, Garrett Herbarium, Natural History Museum of Utah
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Panicum
- Species:
- Panicum hirticaule
- USDA Symbol:
- PAHI5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep,oct
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- As an annual grass, it readily recolonizes burned areas from the seed bank.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Warm-season annual grass; seeds germinate readily with warm temperatures and moisture.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI