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Plants that fill a similar niche:
Andropogon glomeratus Form
Muhlenbergia capillaris Muhlenbergia capillaris
Panicum virgatum Panicum virgatum

Carolina Wiregrass Aristida stricta

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Chaetaria stricta
Phonetic Spelling
ar-RISS-ti-duh STRIK-tah
Description

Wiregrass is an ornamental warm-season grass in the Poaceae family that is found in sandhills and coastal plain regions of the United States. This perennial grass will only produce viable seed if burned during the growing season. It may grow 1-2 feet in height. 

Habitat: Coastal Plain pinelands of nearly all sorts, ranging from the driest white-sand sandhills to seasonally saturated pine savannas dominated by a mixture of longleaf pine and pond pine, largely or entirely replaced in the wettest savannas by Sporobolus teretifolius, Sporobolus pinetorum, Muhlenbergia expansa, Ctenium aromaticum, and Calamovilfa brevipilis; also in Piedmont areas adjacent to the Coastal Plain and formerly supporting fire-maintained longleaf pine woodlands

Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home.  Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. 

Seasons of Interest:

     Bloom: Fall; Fruit/Nut/Seed: Fall/Winter

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#fall flowers#cover plant#winter interest#fall interest#ornamental grass#seeds#reptiles#small mammals#fire extreme flammability#NC native#deer resistant#quail#warm-season grass#yellow fruits#native garden#native ornamental grass#food source fall#food source herbage#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#sandy soils tolerant#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#Audubon#coastal plant#perennial#food source winter#perennial grass#wildlife friendly
 
Form
Form bradleysmith CC BY-NC 4.0
Aristida stricta var. beyrichiana
Inflorescence Mary Keim CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Aristida stricta
Wiregrass will only reseed if burned during its growing season. FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Leaves
Leaves Luke Armstrong CC BY-NC 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#fall flowers#cover plant#winter interest#fall interest#ornamental grass#seeds#reptiles#small mammals#fire extreme flammability#NC native#deer resistant#quail#warm-season grass#yellow fruits#native garden#native ornamental grass#food source fall#food source herbage#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#sandy soils tolerant#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#Audubon#coastal plant#perennial#food source winter#perennial grass#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Aristida
    Species:
    stricta
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    E. North Carolina to N. South Carolina
    Fire Risk Rating:
    extreme flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    Provides cover year round. Produces seeds eaten by quail and songbirds and provides cover for many birds, reptiles, and small mammals. White-tailed deer may browse foliage but this plant is highly resistant to damage.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Food Source
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    deer damage, salt. Heat and drought tolerant.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
    Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Occasional Flooding
    Occasionally Dry
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Caryopsis
    Fruit Description:
    The grass produces yellow seed. Fruit displays from November to December.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are small and inconspicuous. They bloom from September to November.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    The leaves are needle-like and have a white fuzz around the base.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Winter Garden
    Attracts:
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer