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Mathews, Ray

Poa arachnifera

Poa arachnifera Torr.

Texas Bluegrass, Texas Blue Grass

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: poar

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Texas Blue Grass is tufted, cool season perennial. Dense clusters of stems and leaves rise from long, slender rhizomes. A broad, dense seed head, with tufts of silky-white hairs, tops the 1-3 ft. culms. Leaves are usually much shorter.

This grass provides fair grazing for wildlife.

From the Image Gallery

12 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Inflorescence: Panicle
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , KS , LA , MS , NC , NM , OK , SC , TN , TX
Native Distribution: S. KS to TX; introduced e. to NC & FL
Native Habitat: Woodlands' edge, Opening, Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Loams. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay
Conditions Comments: This Texas cool season native forms clumps with narrow blue-green leaves. In spring the showy 2-3 ft. fluffy silvery flowers rise above the foliage. Good in most well drained soils. Can tolerate some shade. A good groundcover unmowed or mowed. Unlike most grasses, male and female flowers are borne on seperate plants.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Attractive
Use Wildlife: Fair grazing for wildlife. Graze, Seeds-Small mammals, Seeds-granivorous birds, Nesting material
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Deer Resistant: High

Propagation

Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Order seed of this species from Native American Seed and help support the Wildflower Center.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native grasses for shade in Dallas
November 30, 2008
What native grasses can be grown under large Live Oaks in the Dallas Area? The combination of shade and black gumbo soil seem to keep all plant life, except for poison ivy and ferns, out. I would lo...
view the full question and answer

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 on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Poa arachnifera in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Poa arachnifera in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Poa arachnifera

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-25
Research By: TWC Staff

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