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Shiny Spikegrass

Chasmanthium nitidum

Found in blackwater swamp forests, especially with calcareous influence (over marl, oligohaline tidal swamps). Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

40
Good

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

Profile 88%

Height
Up to about 4 feet
Light
Partial shade, Full shade
Soil moisture
Moist to wet
Will it fit your yard?

Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
May to November

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 4 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Swamps

Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp
Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal swamps, Florida to Virginia; state not identified, a neighboring state.Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 111 animals.

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

8CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Chasmanthium

  • Amblyscirtes belliBell's Roadside-Skipper
  • Amblyscirtes hegonPepper and Salt Skipper
  • Amblyscirtes vialisCommon Roadside-Skipper, Black Little Skipper
  • Atrytone byssusByssus Skipper, Golden Skipper
  • Cyllopsis gemmaGemmed Satyr
  • Lerema acciusClouded Skipper, Corn Leaf tier
  • Lethe anthedonNorthern Pearly Eye
  • Lon zabulonZabulon Skipper
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Chasmanthium

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

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Poaceae
Flower color
Green or brown
Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Uniola nitida; oats

Conservation status

Alabama rankS1
Global rankG3G4
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

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How to check your spot

Sources