Large Sweet Grass Anthoxanthum odoratum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- an-tho-ZAN-thum oh-dor-AY-tum
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sweet Vernal Grass is a cool season, annual or short-lived perennial, flowering, evergreen grass native to Europe and Eurasia, but naturalized in much of the United States, including North Carolina. It can be found in meadows, woodland margins, and moors and is typically grown as a lawn grass or a house plant. The grass forms clumps of relatively short leaves and flower spikes on the branches in spring and early summer. The plant is most noted for it fragrance, like new mown hay.
Sweet Vernal Grass does best in full sun in moist to dry soil. It will tolerate a variety of soil types. Individual plants have a short lifespan, but you can allow the plant to self-seed. After some time of establishing itself, Sweet Verbal Grass becomes drought tolerant. The dried plant releases a strong fragrance.
At one time, Sweet Vernal Grass was included in hay and pasture mixtures for its fragrance, but cattle find it unpalatable.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Anthoxanthum
- Species:
- odoratum
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans used Sweet Vernal Grass to make baskets.
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Macaronesia, Europe to Mongolia, North West Africa
- Distribution:
- Greenland, North and South America, Australia, parts of China, Japan, and the Phillipines
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- drought tolerant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 8 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Columnar
- Dense
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Caryopsis
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The inflorescence is composed of slender spikes in spring that dry to golden brown. An early grass to flower, it produces pollen, a major irritant to people who suffer from hay fever.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- A tufted grass, thin flat leaves and reaches about 20 inches in height. Crushed leaves have a cut clover smell and dried leaves hold fragrance well. This plant has dense tufts of spiky-looking but soft leaves.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Houseplants
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Walkways
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
