Eastern Gamagrass

(Tripsacum dactyloides)

Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides)

Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova

CC BY-SA 4.0

Image By: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova

Recorded By:

Copyright Notice: Photo by: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova | License Type: CC BY-SA 4.0 | License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 | Uploader: Nova | Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Title: Tripsacum_dactyloides_2021-09-18_01.jpg | Notes: Uploaded a work by Francis, Mary Evans, 1876-1941 from The book of grasses : an illustrated guide to the common grasses, and the most common of the rushes and sedges Publisher Garden City, N.Y. : Doubleday, Page 1912 with UploadWizard |

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Tripsacum dactyloides, commonly known as Eastern Gamagrass, is a perennial deciduous grass and is native to a variety of habitats including open woodlands, grasslands, and along riverbanks in the Eastern USA, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. It can reach heights of 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m) under normal conditions but may grow as tall as 8–10 ft (2.4–3.0 m) in ideal environments. Eastern Gamagrass has a robust, clumping form with broad, blue-green leaves and is related to corn (Zea mays), sharing a common ancestry within the grass family. It produces monoecious flowers, with separate male and female spikelets on the same plant, blooming from late March to early October. The flowers are not particularly showy but are interesting for their unique structure.

Eastern Gamagrass is valued for its adaptability to a range of soil moisture conditions, from drought to flood, due to its deep, rhizomatous roots. It is often used for soil stabilization and as a forage crop due to its high nutritional value. In gardens, it can serve as a tall ornamental grass or in naturalized plantings. It prefers full sun to part shade and requires medium amounts of water, thriving in soils with medium to slow drainage. While it is not commonly afflicted by diseases, it can become quite large and may require space to spread.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Grass
Height: 2-6 feet
Width: 4-6 feet
Growth Rate: Moderate
Flower Color: N/A
Flowering Season: Spring
Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Drainage: Medium, Slow

Common Uses

Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Erosion Control, Fire Resistant, Groundcover, Low Maintenance, Street Planting

Natural Habitat

Deciduous perennial grass native to open woodlands, grasslands, and along riverbanks

Other Names

Common Names: Fakahatchee Grass , Eastern Gama Grass , Gama Grass , Gamagras , Macillo , Pasto Guatemala , Zacate Maicero , Herbe Grama , Gamagräs , 指狀加拿草 , Capim-Gigante

Scientific Names: Tripsacum dactyloides , Tripsacum floridanum , Tripsacum dactyloides var. hispidum , Tripsacum dactyloides subsp. hispidum , Tripsacum dactyloides var. mexicanum , Tripsacum bravum , Tripsacum dactyloides var. floridanum , Tripsacum dactyloides var. angustifolium , Tripsacum monostachyon , Tripsacum dactyloides var. occidentale

GBIF Accepted Name: Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L.