Plant Guide with Characteristics, Classification, and other detailed information

Plant Guide

Dichanthelium clandestinum (L.) Gould
deertongue
DICL

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

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate	Slow
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	Medium
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	No
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color
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	Slow
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)
Height, Mature (feet)	2
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Long
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	No
Shape and Orientation	Semi-Erect
Toxicity	None

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	Low
CaCO3 Tolerance	Low
Cold Stratification Required	Yes
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	130
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	4
pH, Maximum	7.5
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum
Precipitation, Minimum	32
Precipitation, Maximum	65
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	16
Salinity Tolerance	Low
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-33

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Early Summer
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	Yes
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	350000
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	Low
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	None

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

Dichanthelium clandestinum (L.) Gould
deertongue
DICL
Cultivar: Tioga

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

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate	Slow
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	Medium
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	No
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color
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	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)
Height, Mature (feet)	2
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Long
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	Yes
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	Medium
CaCO3 Tolerance	Low
Cold Stratification Required	Yes
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	135
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	4
pH, Maximum	7.5
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum
Precipitation, Minimum	32
Precipitation, Maximum	65
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	16
Salinity Tolerance	Low
Shade Tolerance	Intermediate
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-33

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Early Summer
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	Yes
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	280000
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	Low
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	None

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	No
Palatable Browse Animal	High
Palatable Graze Animal	Low
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 Dichanthelium (A.S. Hitchc. & Chase) Gould -- rosette grass P

Species Dichanthelium clandestinum (L.) Gould -- deertongue P

Uses

The major use of deertongue is for revegetating disturbed areas where site conditions limit the use of other species. It is tolerant of sites with: (1) a pH as low as 3.8, (2) aluminum concentration which limits growth of other species, and (3) light textured soil which is droughty and infertile. These tolerances allow deertongue to excel when revegetating acid coal and other surface mine spoils, and sandy infertile disturbed areas.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Description

Deertongue is a perennial, warm season grass native to the Eastern United States and Southeastern Canada. The midsummer growth normally reaches a height of one to three feet. The leaf sheath and stem are hairy. Leaves are one-half to one and one-quarter inches wide and four to eight inches long. In autumn culms form a very leafy rosette, four to six inches in height. Deertongue produces short, strong rhizomes. Two seed crops are produced annually: an early crop on an open terminal panicle and a later crop in a panicle enclosed in the swollen leaf sheath. The second crop, produced in the enclosed panicle, produces an abundance of seed. Deertongue has about 400,000 seeds per pound. Deertongue lodges over winter and forms a mat of vegetative cover. Some of the stems break off and are carried away by wind or water. Much of the seed is retained in the leaf sheaths of the old stems.

Adaptation and Distribution

The natural distribution is Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Maine to Kansas, south to northern Florida and Texas. Deertongue is widely scattered throughout this area volunteering onto denuded sites. It grows well on non-cultivated soil. Because of its tolerance to low pH, high concentrations of aluminum, and droughty infertile conditions, it is commonly found to volunteer on such sites.

For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

Establishment

The type of sites where deertongue is recommended and its seed dormancy characteristics influence the method and timing of establishment. Deertongue should be seeded as early as possible in the spring. Seed dormancy is easily overcome when deertongue is planted during cool weather, so that natural stratification in the soil will occur. If the site conditions restrict early spring planting, it is advisable to sow seed in the late fall or early winter, while dormant.

On sites where conventional farm equipment can operate, prepare seedbed as normal for a pasture planting. Use a grain or grass drill; do not place seed deeper than one inch. In sand and gravel pits, the method of choice is to broadcast, then 'track' the seed with lime and fertilizer in with a bulldozer. Hydroseed steep or rough areas, but expect this method to result in less success than those outlined above. Expect slow establishment of seedings.

Mulching is beneficial for seedling establishment and erosion control, except in sand and gravel pits. Two tons of straw or hay tacked down is the most desirable method. Where this is not possible, wood fiber mulch should be used at 1,500 pounds per acre.

Deertongue is most often planted in mixtures with other warm season grasses such as switchgrass with the total rate of 12-15 pounds per acre. Typically, deertongue does not exceed 3 pounds of the per-acre mix.

Management

In lieu of a soil test, two tons of lime and 300 to 400 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per acre are suggested for deertongue plantings on critical areas. Where conditions permit, these materials should be worked into the soil surface during site preparation. Additional fertilizer applications may be needed after a stand has emerged in order to develop a vigorous plant cover. Once good cover has developed, plant vigor will be maintained without additional fertilizer treatments. It can be mowed (1-2 times per year) if necessary to improve appearance.

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

‘Tioga’ (northeast US) is the only variety of deertongue. It was developed by the Big Flats Plant Materials Center and released for commercial production in 1975. Seed is available from commercial sources.

Prepared By & Species Coordinator:

USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program

Edited: 01Feb2002 JLK; 05jun06 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