Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Sporobolus

Species:

Sporobolus cynosuroides

USDA Symbol:

SPCY

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Graminoid

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, waterfowl

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fall Color:

tan, brown

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire. Tolerates periodic burning in marsh and prairie systems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, nutrient-rich, alluvial soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found in marshes and wet meadows

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily with cold stratification. Light may improve germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI