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Bent-awn Plumegrass

Erianthus contortus

Found in moist to wet clearings, open woodlands and forests, woodland borders. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

40
Good

Native to Mississippi (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Light
Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to wet
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Bloom
July to October

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 27 Mississippi counties.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 2

Forest edges and thickets

Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields
Named place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Forests and woodlands

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

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

29CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including MS

Genus host records with ranges including MS · Saccharum

  • Acrolophus heppneriHeppner's Grass-Tubeworm
  • 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
  • Calpodes ethliusBrazilian Skipper, Canna Skipper, Canna Leafroller
  • Diatraea crambidoidesSouthern Cornstalk Borer
  • Elaphria chalcedoniaChalcedony Midget
  • Elaphria festivoidesSouthern Festive Midget
Show all 29
  • Elaphria nucicoloraSugarcane Midget, Sugarcane Moth
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • 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 subpunctataWhite-Dotted Wainscot, Forage Armyworm
  • 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

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

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Bent Awn Plume Grass; Bent awn Plumegrass; Saccharum contortum

Conservation status

Mississippi rankSNR
Global rankG5
MS statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Sources