Paspalum distichum
Paspalum distichum
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
A plant of the temperate zone to the tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 1 - 36°c[1]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about °c, but young growth can be severely damaged at °c[1]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 750mm, but tolerates 400 - 1,200mm[1]. Grows best in a sunny position, tolerating light shade[1]. Succeeds in most fertile soils, tolerating high levels of salt in the soil[1]. Succeeds in waterlogged soils and tolerates inundation by salt water[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6, tolerating 5 - 7[1]. A common weed from the warm temperate zone to the tropics[2]. In direct-seeded rice it is a serious weed that grows vigorously under favourable conditions[1]. It may become a serious weed in irrigation channels[3].
References
- [1]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
- [2]Plant Resources of Southeast Asia — http://proseanet.org/ ↩︎Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
- [3]Grassland Species - Profiles — http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm ↩︎Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.