Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Saturday - October 31, 2009
From: Pflugerville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflower Center
Title: Grass at Wildflower Center with purple glow
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What is the clumping grass along the WFC meadow trail that has a seedhead resembling bermudagrass and a glow similar to purple three-awn when backlit by the sun. I saw it yesterday (Oct. 2) and wondered if it was Chloris verticillata.ANSWER:
Although there is some Chloris verticillata (tumble windmill grass) growing in the meadow at the Wildflower Center, Mr. Smarty Plants thinks that most likely what you saw was King Ranch (KR) Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum). It is a native grass of Europe, North Africa and Asia and was introduced into the United States in the early 1900s, probably 1917 into California, for cattle food and erosion control. You can read more about the history of its introduction in an answer to a previous question. It is on the Texas Invasives list and you can read about how difficult it is to get rid of—that's why the Wildflower Center has plenty of it on its grounds. According to Dr. Kelly Lyons of Trinity University in San Antonio, the Texas Department of Tranportation's seeding of the rights of way of Texas highways with KR bluestem to prevent erosion has crowded out many of the wildflowers growing along the roadways—those that were also planted by TxDOT. KR bluestem is agressive and tends to take over and create a monoculture.
Despite all its bad traits, its seed heads do produce a beautiful purple 'glow'. These are quite evident along the roadside of MoPac on the way to the Wildflower Center. Here are photos of KR bluestem.
More Wildflower Center Questions
Update on Wildflower Center's Turffalo plot
February 11, 2010 - Hi, I was wondering if you can provide an update about the Turffalo grass installed at the Wildflower Center? The last update was June 26, 2009.
We are investigating options for a lawn in South Aus...
view the full question and answer
Plants available for viewing in Wildflower Center in October
May 19, 2005 - We are thinking of bringing a group to visit the Wildflower Center during the weekend of my son's wedding in Austin in early October. Will there be much to see at the garden at that time of year?
...
view the full question and answer
Why is Hamelia patens, a species listed as invasive, in the Wildflower Center database?
September 29, 2010 - Hamelia patens (Firebush) is listed as an invasive plant at Invasive.Org, the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, which partners with the US Forest Service, Univ of GA and others. LBJ ...
view the full question and answer
Get started in native plant landscaping
March 15, 2004 - How do I get started in native plant landscaping?
view the full question and answer
Does the Wildflower Center sell Endangered Plant Species?
January 25, 2010 - Do you guy's sell endangered plants in Austin? Such as the Basin Bellflower, or the Texabama Croton?
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
