Rhigozum trichotomum

Cultivation Details

A plant of the arid and semi-arid lowland tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 35°c, but can tolerate 10 - 45°c^[1]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -10°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°c^[1]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 150 - 300mm, but tolerates 50 - 350mm^[1]. Requires a sunny position^[1]. Grows in the wild on well-drained sandy and calcareous soils^[1]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5 - 8^[1]. Established plants are drought tolerant^[1]. Tolerant of strong winds^[1]. The plant spreads very effectively by means of vegetative propagation; it can escape from cultivation and become a weed^[1]. Unpalatable to browsing animals, it is becoming increasingly invasive in arid rangelands as a result of overgrazing^[1].