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Leander, Bruce
Tridens albescens (Vasey) Woot. & Standl.
White tridens, White Top
Poaceae (Grass Family)
USDA Symbol: TRAL2
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
Plants: Tufted with culms from a hard, often knotty, rhizomatous base. Culms: Mostly 30-90 cm. tall, glabrous or sparsely bearded. Blades: Firm, glaucous, elongate or rather short, 1-4 mm. broad. Spilelets: 4-10 mm. long, 4-11 flowered, mostly straw-colored but lemma tips usually purple.
From the Image Gallery
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: GreenBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct
Distribution
USA: KS , LA , NM , OK , TN , TXNative Distribution: Texas, throughout except in the far east of state.
Native Habitat: In clay along roadsides, riparian areas and in swales throughout Texas.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)
Growing Conditions
Water Use: MediumLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Clay loam, clay.
Conditions Comments: Lovely perennial grass with white seed-heads. Best used in mixed wildflower plantings. Good forage for seed-eating birds.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Attractive, Wildflower meadow, Pocket prairieUse Wildlife: Graze, Nesting material, Seeds-granivorous birds
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds
Larval Host: The Grass Family is an essential larval food for most branded skippers and most of the satyrs.
Deer Resistant: High
Mr. Smarty Plants says
Deer-resistant plants for steep hillside erosion control
June 03, 2008
Hello, I am looking for advice on native plants to control erosion on a steep hillside in the western cross timbers. This is a shady area under post oaks and cedar elms, in shallow sandy soil mixed w...
view the full question and answer
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge - Wimberley, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
Wildflower Center Seed Bank
LBJWC-205 Collected 2008-06-02 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Tridens albescens in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Tridens albescens in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Tridens albescens
Metadata
Record Modified: 2010-04-18Research By: TWC Staff, GAP
