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Strickland, Sam C.

Tridens albescens

Tridens albescens (Vasey) Woot. & Standl.

White Tridens, White Top

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Synonym(s): Rhombolytrum albescens

USDA Symbol: tral2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

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

9 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 Venation: Parallel
Inflorescence: Panicle
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: KS , LA , NM , OK , TN , TX
Native Distribution: Texas, throughout except in the far east of state.
Native Habitat: In clay along roadsides, riparian areas and in swales throughout Texas.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light 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 prairie
Use 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

Find Seed or Plants

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

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

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC		FACU			FAC				FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

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
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge, c/o Wimberley Birding Society - 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

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-02
Research By: TWC Staff, GAP

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