Dichanthelium clandestinum

Common Names

Deer-Tongue Grass, Deertongue, Deer-Tongue Witch Grass, Witch Grass, Panic Clandestin

Summary

Dichanthelium clandestinum, commonly called deer-tongue grass, is a rhizomatous perennial native to eastern North America. It forms tall, clump-forming tussocks 1–4 ft tall with basal rosettes and leaves clasping the culms; blades are lanceolate and up to about 0.5–1.25 inches wide. The inflorescence consists of open primary panicles 8–16 cm long with many spikelets, plus secondary panicles that are typically cleistogamous and concealed within the leaf sheaths, producing two-stage flowering from late spring into September. The plant tolerates moist to wet sites, partial sun to shade, and commonly occurs in damp or sandy woodlands, banks, and edges across the eastern United States and parts of Canada. In cultivation, it tolerates sun to partial shade and a broad range of soils from moist to dry, including infertile and acidic soils; it is hardy in USDA zones 3–9. It spreads by rhizomes to form dense clumps and produces abundant seeds, enabling seed-based propagation; Tioga is a cultivar used for revegetating disturbed sites. It is valued as a groundcover for erosion control and wildlife habitat in naturalistic plantings.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1.5-4.5 feet

Spread

1-2 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Partial Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-draining, nutrient-rich loam or sandy loam soil, slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0–7.0), kept consistently moist but not waterlogged.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil, Well-draining soil (loam or sandy loam that remains moist but not waterlogged)

Soil pH

6.0-7.0, slightly acidic to neutral soils around pH 6.5

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring through Fall

Foliage Color

Green, yellowish green to dark green (the upper blade surface) with a paler lower surface, foliage may turn yellow-brown in autumn, sometimes a reddish hue toward the base

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow-brown in autumn

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

1-2 feet per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies, Attracts birds