Single Threeawn
Aristida schiedeana

Family: Poaceae

Taller, tufted perennial bunch grass growing up to 4’ tall. The grass flowers appear in July through October. Distinguished by being a perennial three-awn bunchgrass with pedicels and spikelets appressed to the panicle branches. Especially useful are the two awns which are 1 mm to absent and the central awn which is 5-12 mm and markedly bent at the base making it stick out at an angle away from the spikelet.

Full to part sun, best on irrigation but may volunteer outside—less robust without extra irrigation.

Although generally poor forage grasses and, because of the calluses, potentially harmful to grazing animals, they are an important source of spring forage on western range-lands. Quail and small mammals eat the seed. And of all the threeawns, this is the most pallatable.

Aristida is from the Latin arista for awn, while schiedeana is of uncertain origin. This cosmopolitan genus comprises 306 species.