Coastal Sandspur

Cenchrus incertus

Good

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: Up to about 32 inches
Light: Sun, Part shade
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

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Cenchrus spinifex — whole photograph — (c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Annual
Bloom: June–October

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 25 Alabama counties.

From historical sources

What the old botany books say

These facts were missing, so Quercus searched the Biodiversity Heritage Library for Cenchrus incertus and read up to three independent North American books. Every quote was checked word for word against the scanned page. Open a page to read it.

Bloom: June–October From 1 book, needs a second

Cenchrus incertus. American grasses (1897), Frank Lamson Scribner

“June-October”

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Habitat: Sandy soil along the coast From 1 book, needs a second

Cenchrus incertus. American grasses (1897), Frank Lamson Scribner

“Sandy soil along the coast”

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Height: 1.5–3 ft From 1 book, needs a second

Cenchrus incertus. American grasses (1897), Frank Lamson Scribner

“4.5 to 9 dm. high”

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Read the quote above. How tall do these books say it grows?

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

10CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Cenchrus

Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper
Lerema acciusClouded Skipper, Corn Leaf tier
Lerodea eufalaEufala Skipper, Gray Skipper, Rice Leafroller
Mocis latipesSmall Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
Nola cereellaSorghum Cutworm, Sorghum Webworm Moth, Sorgham Webworm Moth
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Cenchrus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

7BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Cenchrus

Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Passerina cirisPainted Bunting
Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
Porzana carolinaSora
Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Zenaida asiaticaWhite-winged Dove

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Flower color: White or green

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Flower color · “White or green” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Height · “Up to about 32 inches” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Life cycle · “Annual” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Light · “Sun; Part shade” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Soil · “Dry; Moist” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Also known as

Cenchrus incertus; Coastal Sandbur; Coastal Sanspur

Conservation status

Alabama rank	SNR
Global rank	G5
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Coastal Sandspur

At a glance

What the old botany books say

Bloom: June–October From 1 book, needs a second

Habitat: Sandy soil along the coast From 1 book, needs a second

Height: 1.5–3 ft From 1 book, needs a second

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Cenchrus