Common Carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
Previously known as:
- Axonopus affinis
- Phonetic Spelling
- aks-ON-oh-pus fis-sih-FOH-lee-us
- Description
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Common Carpetgrass is native to the warm parts of North, Central, and South America, including North Carolina. It is a warm-season, stoloniferous perennial grass found in sandy pine forests, fields, lawns, and roadsides. It has a spreading habit and is soil compaction and heat tolerant, but not drought tolerant.
This plant spreads by stolons and seeds. It prefers wet soils and is commonly found growing in ditches. It will grow in poor soils in sun or partial shade. In NC it is found in the coastal and Piedmont areas. It often goes dormant in winter in NC.
It is often used as a lawn grass in recreational areas, a cover crop or in pastures.
See the NC State Extension TurfFiles entry for Common Carpetgrass for more information.
- 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:
- Axonopus
- Species:
- fissifolius
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and southeastern U.S.A., Tropical/ Subtropical America
- Wildlife Value:
- Leaves and seeds are forage for animals.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
- Turfgrass
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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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:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Caryopsis
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are available July-November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- 2-4 spike-like racemes are 1.5-4 inches long in June-October
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 1-inch long narrow green leaves are flat or folded with fine hairs on the margin near the base. May have a reddish cast at maturity.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Heat
- Humidity
- Poor Soil
