Oplismenus spp.

basketgrasses

Poaceae

Pantropical - tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and the Americas

Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Oplismenus spp. is a genus of about five to nine trailing grasses (family Poaceae) found through the shaded understory of tropical and warm-temperate regions worldwide. Slender stems creep along the ground and root at the nodes, forming low mats 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) tall that spread 12-36 inches (30-90 cm) or more across. The thin, lance-shaped leaf blades are 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm) long and bright green, and in cultivated forms such as O. hirtellus they are striped with white and pink. Small flower spikes rise above the foliage in summer and autumn, their seeds carried on sticky, awned bristles that cling to fur and clothing. Oplismenus spp. grows in low light beneath trees where many grasses fail, but it spreads aggressively: O. hirtellus and O. undulatifolius are listed as invasive weeds in parts of the United States and Australia. Frost cuts the foliage to the ground, and plants are killed outright by hard freezes.

Native Range

Oplismenus spp. is pantropical, native to shaded forests of tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and the Americas, extending into the warm-temperate southeastern United States.

Suggested Uses

Used as a shade groundcover in frost-free gardens and as a trailing foliage plant in containers, hanging baskets, and terrariums. Stems are spaced 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) apart for groundcover, where permitted. The variegated forms are grown chiefly for their striped foliage.

How to Identify

Recognized as a low, mat-forming grass with thin creeping stems that root at every node and short, lance-shaped, often wavy-edged leaf blades 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm) long. Flowering spikes carry seeds tipped with sticky awns that adhere to fur and fabric. Variegated cultivated forms show white and pink stripes along the blades.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2" - 8"

Width/Spread1' - 3'

Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Summer Fall

Flower spikes appear from midsummer into autumn, roughly July to October. The greenish to purplish flowers are wind-pollinated and inconspicuous, and the sticky-awned seeds that follow are the more noticeable stage. Flowering is sparse in deep shade.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

green to purplish

Foliage Description

green, often striped white or pink

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 4 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

establishes within one growing season

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Oplismenus spp. in part to full shade in moist, humus-rich soil with a pH near 5.5-7.0. Even moisture suits it; the stems brown at the tips when the soil dries out. Outside frost-free climates it is grown as a trailing houseplant or in hanging baskets, kept above about 50F (10C). Because the running stems root wherever they touch soil, plants spread quickly and need confining in mild regions. Pinching the stem tips keeps growth dense. Variegated forms hold their colour in bright, indirect light and fade in deep shade.

Pruning

Trim back overlong or browning stems at any time to keep the mat dense and within bounds. Pinching the growing tips draws out branching. Plants tolerate hard cutting back and regrow from the rooted nodes.