Eastern Gamagrass
Tripsacum dactyloides
A robust, deep-rooted warm-season native bunchgrass that forms large arching fountains of broad foliage, closely related to wild maize. Spike-like flower clusters display striking orange-to-purple anthers in summer. A larval host for native skipper butterflies and an outstanding structural grass for rain gardens and bank stabilization.
- Family
- Poaceae
- Type
- grass
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 4–8 ft
- Spacing
- 4–6 ft apart
- Light
- part shade
- Soil moisture
- moist
- Soil pH
- acidic, neutral
- Bloom
- April, May, June
- Bloom colors
- brown
- Wildlife value
- butterflies, larval host
- Landscape uses
- specimen, naturalizing
- Native states
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV