| DESCRIPTION: It is an aquatic or sub-aquatic grass with course culms 1ˆ2.5 m high, thick in the lower parts, from long rhizomes. Leaf blades 20ˆ60 cm long 10ˆ25 mm wide. Panicles mostly 15ˆ25 mm long, dense, the short, thick branches ascending. USE: Permanent grazing, silage and hay in natural wetlands or ponded pastures. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. Summer growth only. COMMON NAMES: German grass, Creeping river grass. FURTHER INF: It is native to America and the Caribbean from southern USA in North to Argentina in south and has naturalized in tropical and southern Africa, tropical Asia, Hawaii and northern Australia. Native to swamps, lake shores and wet-lands in water up 2-3 m deep for short periods but normally to 1 m. Grows best in wet or seasonally flooded areas, where flooding can occur for 7ˆ12 months of the year. Tolerates a wide range of soil fertility, but best on soils of medium to high fertility. It is adapted to soil pH 4.0ˆ8.0 and has some resistance to sodicity. Very tolerant of poor drainage. No frost tolerance but often protected from overnight frosts by surrounding volume of water. DM yields of 8ˆ12 t/ha in South America, and 10ˆ20 t/ha in northern Australia. |