Quercus

Horsetail Crowngrass

Paspalum fluitans

Native to Kentucky (estimated)

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

11CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Paspalum

  • Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
  • Diatraea evanescensBlack-Dot Diatraea
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Mocis texanaTexas Mocis
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Redectis vitreaWhite-Spotted Redactis
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Show all 11
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
7BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Paspalum

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
17BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

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

  • Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
  • Aix sponsaWood Duck
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
  • Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
  • Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
  • Dolichonyx oryzivorusBobolink
  • Gallinula galeataCommon Gallinule
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Molothrus aterBrown-headed Cowbird
Show all 17
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
  • Porzana carolinaSora
  • Quiscalus mexicanusGreat-tailed Grackle
  • Quiscalus quisculaCommon Grackle
  • Rallus elegansKing Rail
  • Tympanuchus pallidicinctusLesser Prairie-Chicken
  • Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Poaceae
Flower color
Green
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Spreads by runners
Foliage color
Gray-green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

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

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “Late summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Flower color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Foliage color · “Gray-green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth habit · “Spreads by runners” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Height · “About 2.5 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Light · “Partial shade; Full shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team) · Carolinas and Georgia
Also known as

Horsetail Paspalum; Water Paspalum

Conservation status

Kentucky rankS4S5
Global rankG5
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources