Seashore Dropseed
Sporobolus virginicus
- Native to:
- Aldabra, Andaman Is., Angola, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Chagos Archipelago, Chile, China, Christmas I., Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, East Aegean Is., El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Galápagos, Ghana, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Hainan, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jawa, Kenya, Lebanon-Syria, Leeward Is., Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Malaya, Maluku, Marianas, Marquesas, Marshall Is., Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Mozambique Channel Is., Namibia, Nansei-shoto, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Nicaragua, Norfolk Is., Ogasawara-shoto, Oman, Pakistan, Panamá, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rodrigues, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South China Sea, Southwest Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Suriname, Taiwan, T
Kevin Thiele (www.flickr.com) from Perth, Australia
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Sporobolus
- Species:
- Sporobolus virginicus
- USDA Symbol:
- SPVI3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
- Lawn Substitute:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Obscure skipper (Panoquina panoquinoides)
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 vigorously from rhizomes following fire; commonly used in coastal restoration post-burn.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, saline, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in coastal and salt marsh environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Germinates readily without pretreatment; tolerates saline conditions during germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Individual rhizome sections can be transplanted into pots filled with potting media.
Establishment: Plant material will need to be shipped from the main islands of Hawai'i as the plants are no longer found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The plant is indigenous to Hawai'i and native to sandy, usually coastal sites in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide.
Source: npn.rngr.net