RANCHING


What Plant Is Important in August? Vaseygrass (Paspalum urvillei)


V


ASEYGRASS IS A LARGE PERENNIAL WARM SEASON BUNCH GRASS that is native to South America. It was introduced


as a possible forage plant for grazing livestock. Vaseygrass is found on many soil types throughout


the Gulf Coast regions of the United States, Carolinas and out to California. It thrives in wetter soils of the South and in disturbed areas and roadsides that receive extra moisture in drier areas. • Can reach a height of more than 6 feet • Grows upright with leaves coming from the base, as well as along the seed stalks


• Leaves can grow to more than 1/4 of an inch wide


Editor’s note: Kent Ferguson, retired rangeland management specialist from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is providing us with plant identifi cation photo stories to help ranchers identify those forbs, forages and species growing in the pastures. Additional photos provided by USDA NRCS.


62 The Cattleman August 2016 thecattlemanmagazine.com


• Has a seed head that is typical of the genus Pas- palum, where the seeds are arranged in rows along the panicle, or seed head. The head can have 8-50 branches of seeds in rows of 4. There are usually several slightly nodding seed stalks per plant giving the coarse grass plant a curved appearance. Vaseygrass has very little value as a food source for


grazing animals and wildlife, but it is used as nesting cover for ground-nesting species of birds. Vaseygrass can be controlled if it becomes a prob- lem with a properly timed application of herbicide.


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