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Shortspike bluestem
Andropogon brachystachyus
Poaceae
 

Copyright by: Shirley Denton

General Landscape Uses: Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.

Availability: Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.

Description: Medium to large herbaceous grass.

Dimensions: 2-3 feet; to 4 feet when in flower

Growth Rate: Fast.

Range: Mostly peninsular Florida south to Broward and Collier counties; also eastern Georgia, southeastern South Carolina, and southern Alabama, where very rare; very rare and scattered in the Panhandle and southernmost parts of its range.

Plant Map Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.

 Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.

Habitats: Wet pinelands and pond margins.

Soils: Moist to seasonally wet, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.

Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.

Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.

Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.

Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.

Light Requirements: Full sun.

Flower Color: Brownish inflorescence.

Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy inflorescence.

Flowering Season: Summer-fall.

Fruit: Inconspicuous caryopsis.

Comments: Should be cut back after flowering.


Copyright by: Shirley Denton


Other data on Andropogon brachystachyus available from:



 
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