Madagascar Dropseed
Sporobolus pyramidatus
- Native to:
- Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galápagos, Guam, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, United States, Uruguay, Venezuelan Antilles, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
Forest and Kim Starr (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Sporobolus
- Species:
- Sporobolus pyramidatus
- USDA Symbol:
- SPPY2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from base after fire; typical of warm-season bunchgrasses adapted to periodic burning.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Common in open, sunny areas with poor soil fertility.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with warm temperatures and light. No pretreatment typically required.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI