Thicket Panicgrass

Panicum trichanthum

Native to:
Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Windward Is.

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Poaceae
Genus:
Panicum
Species:
Panicum trichanthum
USDA Symbol:
PATR3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Graminoid
Height:
100 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
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:
Resprouts from base following fire; typical of many warm-season panicgrasses.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
fertile, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers open, sunny locations

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
Germination Time:
14–30 days

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI