| Abstract: |
Several species of native grasses are widely used in public and private landscapes in the southeastern U.S. Most of the materials
currently available in the nursery trade are selections from native
stands that have not undergone comparative evaluations and are therefore marketed solely by species name (i.e., without cultivar or
variety names). The USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Plant Materials Center (PMC) in Brooksville, Florida has made numerous
collections of grasses native to Florida and evaluated these plants
for their potential to solve conservation problems, such as to restore
grazing lands and natural areas, improve water quality, and provide
wildlife habitat. Occasionally, some individual plants (accessions)
in the assembled collections possess atypical phenotypic features
(e.g., foliage color, flower color, growth habit, etc.) that create
opportunities to utilize them as ornamentals. Releasing these selections for production by the industry creates a potential niche market for smaller nursery producers. Some examples of ornamental grass releases resulting from the evaluation program at the Brooksville PMC include Morning Mist germplasm hairawn muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaries), which has white flowers as opposed to
the normal pink flowers of the species, and Osceola Blue germplasm lopsided indiangrass (Sorghastrum secundum), which has a more pronounced bluish tint to the foliage and culms. |
