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| Category: Grass |
| Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grasses) |
| Origin: California (U.S.A.) |
| Bloomtime: Summer/Fall |
| Parentage: (Andropogon barbinodis) |
| Height: 3-4 feet |
| Width: 3-4 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: <15° F |
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Bothriochloa barbinodis (Cane Bluestem) - A warm-season deciduous medium-sized clumping grass that can grow to 4 feet tall and wide with pale green foliage and fluffy silvery-white flower heads that appear in summer through early fall. Fall foliage is a blush of reds and oranges and in winter the entire plant takes on a gray-white cast. Not picky about soil conditions, but grows best in a well-draining moist soil in full sun but is quite drought tolerant along the coast. Hardy to below 15° F. It is native to California from San Diego County to Ventura County (at some time maybe into Santa Barbara) where it grows in dry hilly locations. It also can be found across the American Southwest to New Mexico. We first grew this wonderful native grass in 1992 though discontinued growing it a few years later because it was underappreciated. We started growing it again in 2010 because we really like it and at the urging of native plant specialist Carol Bornstein. The name for the genus comes from Greek words 'bothrion' meaning a "furrow" "pit" or "trench" and 'chloa' meaning "a blade of grass" in reference to a distinct groove in the joints and pedicels. The specific epithet combines the Latin words 'barba' meaning "beard" and 'nodus' meaning "joint" for the hairy nodes of this plant. It has previously been treated as Andropogon barbinodis.
This information about Bothriochloa barbinodis displayed is based on research conducted in our library and from reliable online resources. We will also note observations that we have made about it as it grows in the gardens in our nursery and those elsewhere, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others, and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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