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| Category: Grass |
| Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grasses) |
| Origin: Southern States (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Yellow/Chartreuse Foliage: Yes |
| Flower Color: Green |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: < 0 °F |
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Leersia monandra (Bunch Cutgrass) A North American perennial bunchgrass that forms clumps 1 to 2 feet tall with narrow culms holding soft textured light lime green narrow 6 to 12 inch long leaves. Rising above the foliage year-round and are the erect and delicately branched inflorescences with panicles of small spikelets. Plant in coastal sun or shade and irrigate regularly to only occasionally - considered to be fairly dry growing in the shade and has a good tolerance to poor and limey soils. Quite hardy and tolerant of cold temperatures to below 0° F. Bunch Cutgrass is noted as being low maintenance, disease free and tolerating deer predation, though its reduction in native range has been blamed on over grazing by cattle. With its unique translucent light green leaves, can really brighten up a dry shady spot in the garden. This plant grows naturally in dry rocky limestone soils in open woods, grasslands and shaded slopes from Texas and Florida south to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It is closely related to Rice (Oryza sp.) and was named to honor the German botanist Johann Daniel Leers. The species was first described in 1788 Sweedish Botanist Olaf Swartz from plants collected in Jamaica with the specific epithet
from the Greek words 'monos' mean "one" or "alone" and 'andros' meaning "a man" or "only one man" in reference to the flower having only one anther. Other common names used for this grass include Cut-Rice Grass, Canyongrass and Cedar Whitegrass. Our thanks to John Greenlee, Robert Abe and Lane Goodkind who all had a hand in getting this attractive grass to us.
The information on this page is based on our library and online research as well as observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We have also incorporated comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have some additional information, in particular if this information is contrary to what we have written or includes additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Leersia monandra.
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