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Silver Plumegrass

Erianthus alopecuroides

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in dry to moist fields, roadsides, woodlands, and woodland borders. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

40
Good

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

Profile 88%

Height
3–10 feet
Spread
3–5 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 4 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 6 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
September to November

Recorded in 27 Arkansas counties.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 3

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Arkansas. Shared habitat, not food. 10 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (60)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of Arkansas

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

26CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Saccharum

  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Agrotis malefidaRascal Dart, Pale-Sided Cut-Worm, Shagreened Cut-Worm
  • Amblyscirtes vialisCommon Roadside-Skipper, Black Little Skipper
  • Anatrytone loganDelaware Skipper, Logan Skipper, Black-Vein Skipper
  • Atrytone byssusByssus Skipper, Golden Skipper
  • Diatraea crambidoidesSouthern Cornstalk Borer
  • Elaphria chalcedoniaChalcedony Midget
  • Elaphria nucicoloraSugarcane Midget, Sugarcane Moth
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Show all 26
  • Herpetogramma bipunctalisSouthern Beet Webworm, Two-Spotted Herpetogramma
  • Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper
  • Lerema acciusClouded Skipper, Corn Leaf tier
  • Lerodea eufalaEufala Skipper, Gray Skipper, Rice Leafroller
  • Lethe anthedonNorthern Pearly Eye
  • Leucania multilineaMany-Lined Wainscot
  • Meropleon cosmionComely Brocade
  • Mocis disseveransYellow Mocis
  • Mocis latipesSmall Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
  • Panoquina ocolaOcola Skipper, Long-Winged Skiiper
  • Polites othoSouthern Broken-Dash, Broken-Dash Skipper
  • Spodoptera albulaWhite-Spotted Armyworm, Gray-Streaked Armyworm
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Vernia vernaLittle Glassywing
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
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
Hardiness
Zones 6a–10b
Flower color
White

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

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Saccharum alopecuroides; Silver Plume Grass

Conservation status

Arkansas rankSNR
Global rankG5
AR statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources