Characteristics:
Rosette Panicgrass occurs in prairies, dry meadows, and open woodlands. Like other species of Dichanthelium, linear-leaved panicgrass is characterized by two distinct blooming periods. The conspicuous primary flowering heads are terminal to the culms and are produced from May into June, early in the season. Later on, usually from late June through July or August, the plants branch profusely to produce small secondary flowering heads in the basal leaf axils. The primary flowering heads usually have a lower seed set than the secondary ones, which have flowers that remain closed and are self-pollinated. Fruiting begins in mid-June, and spikelets begin dropping in mid-July. Dichantheliums normally produce a basal rosette of leaves that remains green and persists through the winter.
Habitat:
Meadows, fields, dry woodlands, prairie
Etymology:
From the Greek dich for ‘two’ and anthelium for ‘flower,’ the name of the genus means ‘twice-flowering.’ Linearifolium comes from the Latin linearis, ‘straight’ and folius, ‘leaf’ referring to the straight, narrow leaves.
Dichanthelium linarifolium
Slim-Leaf Panic Grass
Family: Poaceae
Type: Grass
Height: .5 - 1.5 ft
Spread: .5 to 1 ft
Bloom: Green, May to July
Water: Medium - Dry
Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
Tolerates: Deer, drought