Deer-tongue Witchgrass

Dichanthelium clandestinum

Found in shaded to filtered woodlands, ditches and low areas, and often in moist sandy soil. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Strong

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

Profile 94%

Height: About 2 feet
Light: Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Evergreen
Bloom: May to October
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

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Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 100 Virginia 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

Forests and woodlands

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

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

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

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 134 animals.

Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Alder Flycatcher
Empidonax alnorum
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Goldfinch
Carduelis tristis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Brown Creeper
Certhia americana
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 3 shared habitats

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

26CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Panicum

Anatrytone loganDelaware Skipper, Logan Skipper, Black-Vein Skipper
Ancyloxypha numitorLeast Skipper
Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
Dargida rubripennisThe Pink-Streak
Dichagyris acclivisSwitchgrass Dart, Inclined Dart
Haimbachia albescensSilvered Haimbachia
Hesperia leonardusLeonard's Skipper, Blazing Star Skipper, Pawnee Prairie Skipper, Pawnee Montane Skipper
Hesperia sassacusIndian Skipper
Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper
Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout

Show all 26

Lerema acciusClouded Skipper, Corn Leaf tier
Lethe anthedonNorthern Pearly Eye
Leucania adjutaAdjutant Wainscot
Leucania linitaReed Wainscot, Linen Wainscot
Lon hobomokHobomok Skipper
Marimatha nigrofimbriaBlack-Bordered Lemon
Mocis texanaTexas Mocis
Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
Panoquina ocolaOcola Skipper, Long-Winged Skiiper
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Poanes viatorBroad-Winged Skipper
Polites egeremetNorthern Broken-Dash
Polites themistoclesTawny-Edged Skipper
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Elachista radiantella
Idioglossa miraculosa

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

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

35BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

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

Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
Aix sponsaWood Duck
Anas creccaGreen-winged Teal
Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
Anthus spragueiiSprague's Pipit
Aythya collarisRing-necked Duck
Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
Calcarius ornatusChestnut-collared Longspur
Calcarius pictusSmith's Longspur

Show all 35

Callipepla gambeliiGambel's Quail
Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
Contopus virensEastern Wood-Pewee
Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Dendrocygna bicolorFulvous Whistling-Duck
Dolichonyx oryzivorusBobolink
Fulica americanaAmerican Coot
Gallinula galeataCommon Gallinule
Junco hyemalisDark-eyed Junco
Mareca streperaGadwall
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Molothrus aterBrown-headed Cowbird
Passer domesticusHouse Sparrow
Peucaea aestivalisBachman's Sparrow
Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
Pooecetes gramineusVesper Sparrow
Porzana carolinaSora
Quiscalus quisculaCommon Grackle
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
Spizella pusillaField Sparrow
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalusYellow-headed Blackbird
Zenaida macrouraMourning 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
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Green
Growth rate: Slow
Growth habit: Grows in clumps
Foliage color: 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 · “May to October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Green” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Foliage color · “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 · “Grows in clumps” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Slow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 2 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Leaves · “Evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Deer tongue Witchgrass; Deertongue Witch Grass; Panicum clandestinum; panicgrass

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5? [G5]
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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Deer-tongue Witchgrass

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Dichanthelium