Carried by 0 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Sporobolus contractus is a species of grass known by the common name spike dropseed. It is native to western North America, including the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It grows in desert and plateau habitat, in woodlands, scrub, and dry, sandy, open areas. It is a perennial bunchgrass forming a clump or tuft of stems reaching up to 1. 2 meters in maximum height. The stem bases are thick and sheathed by the hairless leaves. The inflorescence is dense, cylindrical, and narrow. It is a spikelike series of many small whitish or grayish spikelets.
Grass
3 - 7 ft Tall
White
Full Sun, Partial Shade
For propagating by seed: Soak in 71% H2 S04 4 mins. (2-4 okay; then soak in 1-2% potassium nitrate for 24 hrs. Germinate at high diurnal fluctuation, room temperature (60.8° to 75.2°) and 95°F. One mo. stratification instead of acid treatment may also give good germination (Toole 1941).
1, 2*, 3, 7*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*
Wet places
Creosote Bush Scrub, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 1 likely
Sandhill Skipper
Polites sabuleti