Dichanthelium commutatum

Common Names

Variable Panic Grass, Variable Witch Grass, Rosette Grass

Summary

Dichanthelium commutatum is a perennial grass in the Poaceae family native to eastern and central North America and the Caribbean, first described in Brittonia in 1974. Commonly known as variable panicgrass, variable witchgrass, or Ashe's variable rosette-panicgrass, it forms a tufted plant with simple, alternate leaves that often arise from a basal rosette, and it bears a green-brown, spikelet-bearing inflorescence described as a terminal, branched panicle; spikelets can be purplish or yellow-green in the Ashe's variety. Two varieties are recognized: var. ashei and var. commutatum. It grows in wet to dry woodlands across a broad native range and flowers from May through October in various forms. Propagation is from seed to produce container plug stock, with seeds abundant and germination influenced by heat and moisture; identification can be challenging due to intermediate forms among varieties and subspecies.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

16 inches-2.5 feet

Soil Type

Dry to mesic or moist soils in woodlands and forests, including rocky and sandy substrates.

Soil Drainage

Wide range of soil drainage from wet to dry

Bloom Color

Green Brown, Purplish Green, Yellowish Green

Bloom Time

Spring, Summer, and Fall (May–October)

Foliage Color

Green, yellowish green, sometimes glaucous

Leaf Lifecycle

Other

Growth Rate

Not specified

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds