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Indigenous Plants Indigenous Plant Use Identification & Control
of Common Weeds
| Botanical Name: | Microlaena stipoides Synonym(s): Ehrharta stipoides |
| Common Name: | Weeping Grass , weeping rice grass , weeping meadow grass |
| Sold As: | Tube ($2.00) |
| Plant Type(s): | Grass, Grass Like / Strappy, Bird Attracting, Butterfly Attracting, Insect Attracting |
| Growing Conditions: | Full Sun, Partial Shade
Moist, Well Drained |
| Size (HxW): | 20 cm (stems to 1 m) x 60 cm |
| Foliage: | Fine flat bright green to dark green, weeping leaves 1-12 mm wide, smooth or rough, hairless to hairy. |
| Flowers: | Green to purplish. Narrow weeping spike 5-18 cm long; 1-flowered spikelets to 40 mm long, small bracts at base of flower, 2 sterile floral bracts with long rough bristles, one longer than the other, bristly tuft at base. September-November |
| General Comments: | Weeping grass provides masses of high nutrient seeds which are an invaluable resource for seed eating birds, such as corellas, for example. Food plant for caterpillars. It is characterised by the way that its seeds weep when they are fully grown. Tufting or matting perennial herb spreading from underground stems. Size variable depending on conditions and usage. Flower stems taller when plants amongst undergrowth. An excellent lawn alternative tolerating consistent usage and mowing. Needs to be prevented from moving into garden beds. Frost tolerant. |
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