Purpletop Tridens
(Tridens flavus)
Purpletop Tridens (Tridens flavus)
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mefisher
Public Domain
Image By:
mefisher
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Copyright:
Public Domain
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: mefisher | License Type: Public Domain | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ | Rights Holder: mefisher | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2021-08-27T09:44:15-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Tridens flavus, commonly known as Purpletop Tridens, is a deciduous perennial grass native to a variety of habitats including open woodlands, prairies, and savannas across the Central and Eastern USA. It typically grows to a height and width of 1-5 feet, forming dense clumps. The grass features narrow, upright stems and produces showy, purplish inflorescences in late summer to fall, which are particularly attractive when backlit by the sun. The seeds are purple, which contributes to its common name, and their oily nature has led to the alternative name "greasegrass."
Purpletop Tridens is valued for its adaptability to various soil types and its drought tolerance, making it suitable for xeriscaping and naturalized areas. It thrives in full sun but can tolerate light shade and prefers soils with slow to medium drainage. This grass is also appreciated for its role in supporting local wildlife, as it serves as a larval host for several butterfly species, including the common wood nymph, crossline skipper, little glassywing, and the Zabulon skipper. In cultivation, it is used for erosion control, as a component in native grass mixes, and as an ornamental feature in prairie-style gardens. While generally low-maintenance, it can self-seed prolifically, which may be considered undesirable in some managed landscapes.CC BY-SA 4.0
Purpletop Tridens is valued for its adaptability to various soil types and its drought tolerance, making it suitable for xeriscaping and naturalized areas. It thrives in full sun but can tolerate light shade and prefers soils with slow to medium drainage. This grass is also appreciated for its role in supporting local wildlife, as it serves as a larval host for several butterfly species, including the common wood nymph, crossline skipper, little glassywing, and the Zabulon skipper. In cultivation, it is used for erosion control, as a component in native grass mixes, and as an ornamental feature in prairie-style gardens. While generally low-maintenance, it can self-seed prolifically, which may be considered undesirable in some managed landscapes.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Grass
- Height: 1-5 feet
- Width: 1-5 feet
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Flower Color: N/A
- Flowering Season: Summer
- Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun
- Water: Low, Medium
- Drainage: Slow, Medium
Common Uses
Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Erosion Control, Low Maintenance, Salt Tolerant
Natural Habitat
Open woodlands, prairies, and savannas
Other Names
Common Names: Redtop, Purpletop, Greasegrass
Scientific Names: , Tridens flavus, Triodia flava, Triodia cuprea, Poa flava, Triodia seslerioides, Festuca quadridens, Tricuspis seslerioides, Tridens flavus f. cupreus, Sieglingia seslerioides var. intermedia
GBIF Accepted Name: Tridens flavus (L.) Hitchc.