Plant Guide

Digitaria californica (Benth.) Henr.
Arizona cottontop
DICA8

Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Graminoid
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate	Rapid
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	Medium
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	No
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	White
Flower Conspicuous	No
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Dense
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Medium
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Bunch
Growth Rate	Rapid
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)
Height, Mature (feet)	4
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Short
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	No
Shape and Orientation	Erect
Toxicity	None

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	None
CaCO3 Tolerance	Medium
Cold Stratification Required	No
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	High
Fire Tolerance	Medium
Frost Free Days, Minimum	150
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	7.5
pH, Maximum	8.3
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum
Precipitation, Minimum	5
Precipitation, Maximum	14
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	10
Salinity Tolerance	Medium
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-13

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Late Summer
Commercial Availability	Field Collections Only
Fruit/Seed Abundance	Low
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	No
Propagated by Bare Root	No
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	No
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	No
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	1002000
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	High
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	None

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	Yes
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	No
Palatable Browse Animal	Medium
Palatable Graze Animal	High
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Low
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class Liliopsida -- Monocotyledons

Subclass Commelinidae

Order Cyperales

Family Poaceae -- Grass family

Genus Digitaria Haller -- crabgrass P

Species Digitaria californica (Benth.) Henr. -- Arizona cottontop P

Alternative Names

Cottontop, cotton-top, Arizona cottongrass, cotton grass, punta blanca, California cottontop, Trichachne californica

Uses

Arizona cottontop is grazed by cattle, horses, and sometimes by sheep and goats. It is most palatable when green. It cures well on the stem and provides dry forage for cattle. It has been used in range seedlings in south Texas following brush control.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Description

Grass Family (Poaceae). Arizona cottontop is native, warm‑season, perennial bunch grass. The height ranges from 1‑1/2 to 2 feet. The leaf blade is flat, narrow, and usually less than 5 inches long. The leaf sheath is covered with small hairs. The stem has swollen base, scaly, and hairy. The seedhead is an open panicle. The second glume and sterile lemma are covered with long white (occasionally purple) hairs, giving it a silky cottony appearance after the seed ripens.

Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Management

To keep Arizona cottontop vigorous and maintain it in the plant community, defer grazing 60 to 70 days every 2 to 3 years before seed maturity. No more than 50 percent of current year's growth by weight should be removed by grazing.

Establishment

It grows rapidly following late spring and summer rains and continues to grow as long as moisture is available. It reproduces primarily from seed and usually produces a good seed crop. Seed remain viable for as long as 10 years. It seldom grows in pure stands and grows best on gravelly and sandy loam soils.

Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Please contact your local NRCS Field Office.

Reference

Leithead, H.L., L.L. Yarlett, & T.N. Shiflett. 1976. 100 native forage grasses in 11 southern states. USDA SCS Agriculture Handbook No. 389, Washington, DC.

Prepared By & Species Coordinator:

Percy Magee, USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited: 13may02 ahv; jul03 ahv; 20sep05 jsp; 070116 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

Attribution: U.S. Department of Agriculture