Muttongrass
Poa fendleriana
- Native to:
- Canada, Mexico, United States
Matt Lavin (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Poa
- Species:
- Poa fendleriana
- USDA Symbol:
- POFE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from basal buds after fire; common in fire-prone montane and prairie ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- adapted to arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Cool-season grass; germinates best at cooler temperatures around 15-20°C.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: None required
Establishment: Seeds were collected in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado by Park Service employees in 1990 and also hand collected into woven plastic bags. No conflicting information found in the provided protocols.
Source: npn.rngr.net