Porcupinegrass

Hesperostipa spartea (Trin.) Barkworth

Grass family

Plant Type

Graminoid

Life Cycle

Perennial

Mature Height

4.0 feet

Flower Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Late Spring

Growing Conditions

Light

Shade Tolerance Intolerant

Water

Water Use Medium

Drought Tolerance Medium

Flood Tolerance None

Soil

Soil Types Loam

CaCO3 Tolerance Medium

Fertility Need Medium

Stress Tolerance

Fire Tolerance High

Salt Tolerance None

Climate

pH Range 5.0 – 7.5

Frost-Free Days 85 days

Precipitation 18 – 45 in

Ecosystem & Wildlife

Pollinators Nesting and Structure (Bees); Larval Host (Butterfly); Wind

Larval Host Cercyonis pegala

Fall Color No

Evergreen No

Native Range

CAN: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan
USA: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming
MEX: Mexico Northeast

Regional Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

State-level native status is based on data available through Plants of the World Online. Regional Native Status comes from the USDA Plants Database. For more detailed native status information, please refer to BONAP.