Smut Grass
Sporobolus indicus
- Native to:
- Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Desventurados Is., Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Galápagos, Guam, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Navassa Island, Nicaragua, Palau, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, United States, Uruguay, Windward Is.
Forest and Kim Starr (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Sporobolus
- Species:
- Sporobolus indicus
- USDA Symbol:
- SPIN4
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from basal buds following fire; tolerates periodic burning typical of disturbed grasslands.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Commonly found in open, disturbed areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with light and warmth; no pretreatment required.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI