Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Panicum

Species:

Panicum lacustre

USDA Symbol:

PALA

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Graminoid

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

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, waterfowl

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rhizomes following fire; responds positively to periodic burning in wetland margins.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, nutrient-rich clay or loam

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found in wetlands and marshy areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI