Annual Rabbit's-foot Grass

Polypogon monspeliensis

Found in brackish marshes, fields, nurseries, hammocks, other disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: About 1.7 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Moist to standing water

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Polypogon monspeliensis — flower photograph — Andrea Moro · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original photograph

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Bush's Sedge
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Sun: Partial shade, Full sun. Soil: Dry to moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Bristly Sedge
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Sun: Full sun. Soil: Moist to wet. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
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Sun: Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

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At a glance

Bloom: April to July
Fruiting season: Summer

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 15 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

Brackish marsh at a woodland edge. Shown: Fort Fisher, North Carolina, a neighboring state.Fort Fisher brackish marsh and woodland edge, ncwetlands.org, undated. CC0 1.0. Source record.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

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

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

—CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Grows in clumps
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Summer

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
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 · “Summer” · 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 · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 1.7 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Moist; Water; Wet (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Annual Rabbit's foot Grass

Conservation status

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source