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Texas Wintergrass
Grass Family : ( Poaceae : Stipeae )
Latin Name : Stipa leucotricha
Longevity : Perennial
Season : Cool
Origin : Native
Value : Wildlife – fair
Livestock -good
Remarks :
Also known as, "Texas tussockgrass". This grass will
grow throughout the winter. The dark green leaves are
erect and covered with short, stiff hairs. If you hold the
leaf tip and run your fingers gently down the blade, it
feels like sandpaper. Another common name is, "speargrass".
This refers to the seed, which has a sharp base
and a long, bent and twisted awn. This characteristic assists
in the planting of the seed. Also, the seed may become
attached to the hair and wool of grazing animals,
which help distribute the seed. Adapted to dry prairies,
sandy or deep loam soils. This grass is grazed by all
livestock and is good forage, primarily because it is green
and succulent during the winter when most other grasses
are dormant. By June this grass rapidly deteriorates and
becomes useless as a forage plant, unless the area remains
wet during the summer or the grass grows in a shaded
environment.
Source: USDA-NRCS
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