Eastern Gamagrass, Fakahatchee Grass, Eastern Gamma Grass, Eastern Mock Grama, Coix dactyloides, Tripsacum dactyloides var. occidentale
An interesting plant with an unusual appearance, Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern Gamma Grass) is a warm-season, perennial bunchgrass noted for its 1–3 erect to ascending floral spikes, up to 10 in. long (25 cm), adorned with orange stamens (male flowers) and purple stigmas (female flowers). Displayed from mid-spring to early summer, they rise above a large clump of arching, narrow, flat blades, 12–24 in. long (30–60 cm), with a well-defined midrib. The foliage turns orange-pink in fall. Eastern Gamma Grass is rhizomatous and spreads by creeping rhizomes as well as self-seeding. Long-lived (up to 50 years), this robust, stately grass can be used as an accent plant, groundcover, or in the perennial border. It is also valuable as a vegetative barrier for soil erosion control and revegetation. In addition, Eastern Gamma Grass provides useful wildlife habitat, offering cover for quail, prairie chickens, and grassland sparrows, especially during winter. It is also a larval host plant for the three-spotted skipper, clouded skipper, and byssus skipper.
| Hardiness |
4 - 10 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Ornamental Grasses |
| Plant Family | Poaceae |
| Common names | Fakahatchee Grass |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall |
| Height | 4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm) |
| Spread | 4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm) |
| Spacing | 48" - 72" (120cm - 180cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Midwest, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Drought, Clay Soil |
| Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams |
| Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
| Hardiness |
4 - 10 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Ornamental Grasses |
| Plant Family | Poaceae |
| Common names | Fakahatchee Grass |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall |
| Height | 4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm) |
| Spread | 4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm) |
| Spacing | 48" - 72" (120cm - 180cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Midwest, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Drought, Clay Soil |
| Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams |
| Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
How many Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern Gamma Grass) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern Gamma Grass) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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