Chloris truncata
black windmill grass
Overview
Chloris truncata is a tufted warm-season perennial grass reaching 10-20 inches (25-50 cm) tall, forming low clumps of flat, blue-green basal leaves. Its identifying feature is the seed head: five to ten slender spikes 1.5-4 inches (4-10 cm) long radiate horizontally from the top of the stem in a single whorl, resembling the spokes of a windmill. The spikes are dark purplish-black when young and fade to straw color as the seed ripens, then often bend downward. Native across all mainland states of Australia, it grows in grasslands, roadsides, lawns, and disturbed open ground, favoring full sun and tolerating poor, dry soils. As a warm-season grass it grows actively in hot weather and slows or dies back in cold winters. The plant is drought-hardy and short-lived, completing much of its growth in a single warm season and setting abundant wind-blown seed. It spreads readily by seed and can colonize bare ground quickly, which makes it a frequent volunteer in lawns and cultivated areas. Flowering and seeding run from spring through autumn, peaking in summer.
Native Range
Native to mainland Australia, where it occurs in every state across grasslands, open woodland, roadsides, and disturbed ground. It is a common warm-season grass of dry inland and coastal plains.Suggested Uses
Used in dry native grass plantings, revegetation, and low-water verges and grasslands. Suited to open sunny sites and erosion-prone bare ground, where it establishes quickly from seed.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height10" - 1'8"
Width/Spread8" - 1'4"
Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years
Bloom Information
Seed heads form from spring through autumn, peaking in summer during warm weather. Each stem produces a single horizontal whorl of dark spikes that ripen from purplish-black to straw color. Flowering is wind-pollinated and produces large quantities of light, wind-dispersed seed.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Purplish-black, aging strawFoliage Description
Blue-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 7-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight