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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	Yellow
Flower Conspicuous	No
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Porous
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Coarse
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Bunch
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)
Height, Mature (feet)	3
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Short
Low Growing Grass	Yes
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	Medium
Cold Stratification Required	No
Drought Tolerance	Medium
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	90
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	6
pH, Maximum	7.8
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum
Precipitation, Minimum	10
Precipitation, Maximum	24
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	8
Salinity Tolerance	Medium
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-38
Reproduction
Bloom Period	Late Spring
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Spring
Fruit/Seed Period End	Summer
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	1860000
Seed Spread Rate	Moderate
Seedling Vigor	Medium
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	Moderate
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	Low
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  Deschampsia Beauv. -- hairgrass P

Species  Deschampsia elongata (Hook.) Munro -- slender hairgrass P

 

Alternate Names

Another scientific name is Aira elongata.

 

Uses

Slender hairgrass is a moderate to fast growing native bunchgrass useful for erosion control along waterways, ditches, and streambanks, as well as on other seasonally wet or recently disturbed sites.  It can also be sown as cover after logging in ravines and other moist forest areas.  This species has potential as a nurse crop for slower establishing, longer lived species like California oatgrass (Danthonia californica) or other native prairie and woodland grasses and herbs.  Forage value is fair to good prior to maturity.  This is a versatile and underutilized native grass.  It is also regarded as an attractive ornamental grass because of its fine texture, wispy seed heads, and golden color in summer.

 

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 and Adaptation

Slender hairgrass is a moderate sized, fine textured, cool season grass. It is generally a biennial or short-lived perennial under most conditions.  Stems (culms) are 40 to 80 (100) cm tall. Leaves are hair-like, less than 1.5 mm wide, and form a basal tuft. The open sheaths are smooth and auricles are absent. The panicle (flowerhead) is 5 to 25 (30) cm long, narrow with slender upward-pointing branches, and a pale green to purple color.  This species occurs primarily from Alaska to California and east to Montana and New Mexico.

 

Key to identification: The slender, upright to arching seed head and fine leaves are indicative of its common name.  It should not be confused with tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa) which is taller, coarser, and more robust.  In addition, the panicles of tufted hairgrass are more open and branching, and the leaves are broader and flatter than slender hairgrass. Annual hairgrass (Deschampsia danthonioides) is smaller and the panicle is also much broader and open compared to slender hairgrass. Because of the fine texture and small florets, it may loosely resemble a bentgrass (Agrostis sp.) without closer inspection.

 

Relative abundance in the wild: Scattered to relatively common but rarely in large numbers.  Slender hairgrass is occasionally found in drainage ways, seep areas, ditches, and damp open woods, as well as adjacent to moist pathways or other disturbed areas.

 

Adaptation: Slender hairgrass can be found in wet meadows and along the margins of streams, ponds, and lakes. Habitat also includes moist slopes and the understory of open forests from lowland to alpine zones. It is also a component of coastal prairies. As a species of secondary plant succession, slender hairgrass re-establishes after logging in associated forest communities. It is found on fine sandy or gravelly soils as well as heavier soil types.  This species tolerates full sun to partial shade.

 

Establishment

There is no seed dormancy and slender hairgrass establishes readily by sowing in the fall or early spring. Removal of surface hairs (pubescence) on the seed aids in further seed cleaning as well as sowing with a drill.  There are approximately 2,300,000 seeds/lb (+/- 20%).  Each pound of live seed sown per acre applies about 54 seeds per square foot.  Based on seed size and seedling vigor, suggested seeding rates are 2-4 lbs/ac when sown alone. Higher rates may be required when broadcasting to achieve full stands under more difficult conditions.

 

Management

Information on the management of this species is lacking.  Given its short-lived nature, grazing must be deferred during flowering and seed set every other year for stand regeneration.  Its ability to easily volunteer on moist, disturbed ground and readily produce seed makes it a candidate for moist soil management of wetland habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife.

 

Environmental Concerns

Short-lived and may not compete well with weedy herbaceous species.  There are no major concerns  described for this species.

 

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

Multiple sources of seed are readily available in California. One or more populations originating from western Oregon are on the market as well.  Seed sources from other regions for use in the same area may be lacking.

 

Prepared By:

Dale Darris and Robert Tracey, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

 

Species Coordinator:

Dale Darris, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

 

Edited: 20mar2006 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