Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Zea

Species:

Zea perennis

USDA Symbol:

ZEPE

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Graminoid

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jul,aug,sep

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

As a perennial grass, resprouts from rhizomes after fire disturbance.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

native to moist, fertile regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily with adequate moisture and warmth after cold stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI