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Basketgrass

Oplismenus

Also called Basketgrasses

Basketgrass
Photo: Yasunori Koide, CC BY-SA 3.0

Oplismenus is a genus of small trailing grasses, annual or perennial, with over 100 described species but only about 7 officially recognized. Variegated forms are the ones grown as houseplants, and they thrive in shade and steady moisture.

Family
Poaceae (Grass family)
Grows as
Annual, Perennial
Light
Part shade, Shade, Bright indirect
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy, especially in warm growing periods.
Soil
Rich, moist, well-draining potting mix or humus-rich garden soil.
Temperature
18–29 °C; protect below 10 °C, as annual types die off in cool or dry months.
How easy
Easy

About

Oplismenus is a small genus of annual or perennial grasses, commonly known as basketgrass, found throughout the tropics, subtropics, and in some cases, temperate regions of the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The systematics of the genus are unclear, with over 100 described species, only 7 species are officially recognized as of 2016.

Where it grows

These plants generally grow in shaded habitats such as the forest floor. Annual-type species will usually die off in cooler or drier months while the perennial species typically have much more tolerance. Some species have considerable invasive potential. Unlike some of their relatives, members of this genus use C3 photosynthesis.

Uses

Variegated forms have been cultivated as house plants in Europe. Locally occurring species in Australia have been used for revegetation and reclamation in shady or wet areas, though some can be invasive. Some have been promoted as local native plants for wildlife gardens, and as lawn grass. They are edible to livestock.

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Oplismenus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

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