Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter

Nomenclature

Common Name:

silk-grass, silkgrass

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Pityopsis graminifolia

Family:

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

2-3 ft tall by 1-5 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

white

Phenology:

evergreen

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden. Foliage can be attractive year-round as silvery-gray green. Also suitable for naturalizing. The foliage will spread into a small mat which can be used to some extent as a groundcover.

Considerations:

Cut back after flowering to keep it neat.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Seed

Propagation:

Seed, division.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Not wet but not extremely dry ---to--- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies

Attracts bees and butterflies. A pollinator study at the Archbold Biological Station documented over 30 species of bees visiting this species (Deyrup et al. 2002).

Native Habitats:

Sandhill, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, dry prairie, disturbed areas.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Minimize competition especially if it is over-topping the Pityopsis.