Green Sprangletop

Scientific Name: Leptochloa dubia (Kunth) Nees


Classification: Plantae/ Tracheobionta / Spermatophyta / Magnoliophyta / Liliopsida / Commelinidae / Cyperales / Poaceae / Gramineae / Leptochloa P. Beauv./ Leptochloa dubia (Kunth) Nees

Green Sprangletop
General Information
Usda SymbolLEDU
GroupMonocot
Life CyclePerennial
Growth HabitsGraminoid
Native LocationsLEDU

Plant Guide

Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Green Sprangletop.

Fact Sheet

Alternate Names

zacate gigante, green spangletop, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Green Sprangletop.,

Uses

Green sprangletop is grazed readily by all livestock, especially when green and succulent.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Description

Grass Family (Poaceae). Green sprangletop is a native, warm-season, short-lived, perennial bunch grass. The height ranges from 1 to 3 feet. The leaf blade is 6 to 18 inches long, usually flat, and sometimes folded. The leaf sheaths are sometimes longer than the internodes, flattened, and often purplish. The ligule is hairy. The seedhead is a spreading, open, nodding panicle 4 to 12 inches long, consisting of 5 to 20 slender, well separated branches 2 to 5 inches long. Each spikelet is 5- to 8-flowered. Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Management

During the dormant season, it furnishes good quality forage, but should be supplemented with a protein concentrate. It is used in range seeding mixtures. When this grass is a key management species, no more than 50 percent of current growth by weight should be removed at any season. Summer and fall grazing deferments of at least 90 days improve vigor, increase seed production, and provide forage for winter use. The seedhead turns pale and droops at maturity. From Hitchcock (1950) @ plants.usda.gov

Establishment

Growth starts about April. If moisture is scarce, it may become semi-dormant in the summer and make new growth after the fall rains. It becomes dormant in the late fall. It may produce two seed crops, one in the spring and one in the fall. It is best adapted to deep sandy soils in Florida and to rocky hills and canyons in the rest of its range. It is seldom found on deep clay or deep sandy soils in the western part of its range. Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin) Please contact your local NRCS Field Office.

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

CaCO3 ToleranceHigh
Frost Free Days, Minimum210
Frost Free Days, Minimum210
Frost Free Days, Minimum210
Fire ToleranceHigh
Fire ToleranceHigh
Fire ToleranceHigh
Fertility RequirementMedium
Fertility RequirementMedium
Fertility RequirementMedium
Drought ToleranceHigh
Drought ToleranceHigh
Drought ToleranceHigh
Cold Stratification RequiredNo
Cold Stratification RequiredNo
Cold Stratification RequiredNo
Temperature, Minimum (°F)-13
CaCO3 ToleranceHigh
CaCO3 ToleranceHigh
Anaerobic ToleranceLow
Anaerobic ToleranceLow
Anaerobic ToleranceLow
Adapted to Medium Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Medium Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Medium Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Fine Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Fine Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Fine Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Coarse Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Coarse Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Coarse Textured SoilsYes
Hedge ToleranceNone
Temperature, Minimum (°F)-13
Temperature, Minimum (°F)-13
Shade ToleranceIntolerant
Shade ToleranceIntolerant
Shade ToleranceIntolerant
Salinity ToleranceLow
Salinity ToleranceLow
Salinity ToleranceLow
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)14
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)14
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)14
Precipitation, Minimum12
Precipitation, Minimum12
Precipitation, Minimum12
Precipitation, Maximum24
Hedge ToleranceNone
Hedge ToleranceNone
Moisture UseMedium
Moisture UseMedium
Moisture UseMedium
pH, Maximum8.0
pH, Maximum8.0
pH, Maximum8.0
pH, Minimum6.0
pH, Minimum6.0
pH, Minimum6.0
Precipitation, Maximum24
Precipitation, Maximum24


Morphology/Physiology

Active Growth PeriodSpring and Summer
ToxicityNone
ToxicityNone
ToxicityNone
Shape and OrientationErect
Shape and OrientationErect
Shape and OrientationErect
Resprout AbilityNo
Resprout AbilityNo
Flower ConspicuousNo
Fall ConspicuousNo
Fire ResistantNo
Fire ResistantNo
Fire ResistantNo
Flower ColorYellow
Flower ColorYellow
Flower ColorYellow
Flower ConspicuousNo
Fall ConspicuousNo
Flower ConspicuousNo
Foliage ColorGreen
Foliage ColorGreen
Foliage ColorGreen
Foliage Porosity SummerDense
Foliage Porosity SummerDense
Foliage Porosity SummerDense
Foliage Porosity WinterPorous
BloatNone
Resprout AbilityNo
Active Growth PeriodSpring and Summer
Active Growth PeriodSpring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth RateModerate
After Harvest Regrowth RateModerate
After Harvest Regrowth RateModerate
BloatNone
BloatNone
Nitrogen FixationNone
C:N RatioMedium
C:N RatioMedium
C:N RatioMedium
Coppice PotentialNo
Coppice PotentialNo
Coppice PotentialNo
Fall ConspicuousNo
LifespanShort
Height, Mature (feet)3.0
Height, Mature (feet)3.0
Known AllelopathNo
Known AllelopathNo
Known AllelopathNo
Leaf RetentionNo
Leaf RetentionNo
Leaf RetentionNo
Foliage Porosity WinterPorous
LifespanShort
LifespanShort
Low Growing GrassNo
Low Growing GrassNo
Low Growing GrassNo
Nitrogen FixationNone
Nitrogen FixationNone
Growth RateRapid
Height, Mature (feet)3.0
Foliage Porosity WinterPorous
Foliage TextureCoarse
Foliage TextureCoarse
Foliage TextureMedium
Fruit/Seed ColorBrown
Fruit/Seed ColorBrown
Fruit/Seed ColorBrown
Fruit/Seed ConspicuousNo
Fruit/Seed ConspicuousNo
Growth FormBunch
Growth FormBunch
Growth FormBunch
Growth RateRapid
Growth RateRapid
Fruit/Seed ConspicuousNo


Reproduction

Fruit/Seed PersistenceYes
Propagated by TubersNo
Propagated by TubersNo
Propagated by TubersNo
Propagated by SprigsNo
Propagated by SprigsNo
Propagated by SprigsNo
Propagated by SodNo
Propagated by SodNo
Propagated by SodNo
Propagated by SeedYes
Propagated by SeedYes
Propagated by SeedYes
Propagated by CuttingsNo
Propagated by CuttingsNo
Seed per Pound538000
Seed per Pound538000
Seed per Pound538000
Seed Spread RateRapid
Seed Spread RateRapid
Seed Spread RateRapid
Seedling VigorHigh
Seedling VigorHigh
Seedling VigorHigh
Small GrainNo
Small GrainNo
Small GrainNo
Vegetative Spread RateNone
Vegetative Spread RateNone
Vegetative Spread RateNone
Propagated by CormNo
Propagated by CuttingsNo
Bloom PeriodMid Spring
Bloom PeriodMid Spring
Bloom PeriodMid Spring
Commercial AvailabilityRoutinely Available
Commercial AvailabilityRoutinely Available
Commercial AvailabilityRoutinely Available
Fruit/Seed AbundanceHigh
Fruit/Seed AbundanceHigh
Fruit/Seed AbundanceHigh
Fruit/Seed Period BeginSpring
Fruit/Seed Period BeginSpring
Fruit/Seed Period BeginSpring
Fruit/Seed Period EndSummer
Fruit/Seed Period EndSummer
Fruit/Seed PersistenceYes
Fruit/Seed Period EndSummer
Propagated by CormNo
Propagated by CormNo
Propagated by ContainerNo
Propagated by ContainerNo
Propagated by ContainerNo
Propagated by BulbNo
Propagated by BulbNo
Propagated by BulbNo
Propagated by Bare RootNo
Propagated by Bare RootNo
Propagated by Bare RootNo
Fruit/Seed PersistenceYes


Suitability/Use

Palatable Browse AnimalMedium
Palatable Graze AnimalHigh
Palatable Graze AnimalHigh
Palatable Graze AnimalHigh
Palatable HumanNo
Palatable HumanNo
Palatable HumanNo
Post ProductNo
Post ProductNo
Post ProductNo
Protein PotentialMedium
Protein PotentialMedium
Protein PotentialMedium
Pulpwood ProductNo
Pulpwood ProductNo
Pulpwood ProductNo
Veneer ProductNo
Veneer ProductNo
Veneer ProductNo
Lumber ProductNo
Berry/Nut/Seed ProductNo
Berry/Nut/Seed ProductNo
Berry/Nut/Seed ProductNo
Christmas Tree ProductNo
Christmas Tree ProductNo
Christmas Tree ProductNo
Fodder ProductYes
Fodder ProductYes
Fodder ProductYes
Palatable Browse AnimalMedium
Lumber ProductNo
Lumber ProductNo
Naval Store ProductNo
Naval Store ProductNo
Naval Store ProductNo
Nursery Stock ProductNo
Nursery Stock ProductNo
Nursery Stock ProductNo
Palatable Browse AnimalMedium

Green Sprangletop

Green Sprangletop

Green Sprangletop

Green Sprangletop

Green Sprangletop

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