Search
Close this search box.

Alkalai sacaton

Sporobolus airoides

Description

Alkali sacaton is a robust warm season grass with fine-textured foliage that grows with a clumping habit 2-3 ft.. high. It produces attractive flower panicles in late spring that can grow 3-4 ft. tall. These flower panicles are branched and produce a delicate and transparent appearance in mid summer, and are very attractive when highlighted by the sun.

Alkalai sacaton is a tough grass that is found in dry habitats including sage scrub, grassland and deserts. Its clumping habit and drought endurance make it good for Southwestern style gardens and for contrast to other foliage plants. It is valued as a clumping feature among boulders and with southwestern plants among palo verde and mesquite trees, chuparosa, Texas ranger and desert encelia.

Plant Type: Grass, Native
Foliage Character: Winter deciduous
Habit: Upright, Open, Mounding, Clumping, Arching
Growth Rate: Fast
Foliage Color: Pale green, Light green
Flower Color: Green
Flower Season: Summer
Soil Adaptations: Deep soil, Clay, Alkaline soil
Exposure Adaptations: Wind, Heat, Drought, Cold hardy, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Commercial spaces, California native, Borders, Banks, Background plant, Wildlife value, Residential spaces, Parks and open space, Mass planting, Grouped, Foliage accent plant
Height: 2 ft. – 3 ft. (to 4 ft. with flowers)
Width: 2 ft. – 4 ft.

Set your preferred view

Choose between a list or map view of all signs found in our waterwise garden and park.

Welcome to the Waterwise Garden Digital Tour

This is a digital registry created to offer further information on the physical signs in our waterwise garden and park premises.

Would you like a few tips on how to use this tool?

Move around

Travel to different sections of our garden and park premises by using the horizontal scrollbar at the top.

Locate your sign​

Using the map view, you can preview what each specific sign is about by tapping on the plus icon.

Refer back to these tips

You can view these tips at any time by tapping the Help link in the top left.