Florida Paspalum

Year-round

Florida paspalum is a warm season native bunchgrass in the grass family, native to Arkansas and well suited to the Ouachita Mountains region around Hot Springs. It grows in an upright clump 3 to 6 feet tall from short, thick rhizomes and does best with part sun to part shade and soil that stays on the moist side.

• This grass is native to Arkansas according to the USDA PLANTS national database, so it belongs naturally in a Hot Springs area native planting.
• Give it part sun to light shade and soil on the moist side, though it also tolerates average garden soil once established, per the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
• Expect an upright clump 3 to 6 feet tall that spreads slowly from short, thick rhizomes, per the USDA NRCS plant fact sheet.
• As a warm season grass it grows actively from late spring through fall, then goes dormant and turns tan for winter.
• Skip routine fertilizer, established clumps generally only need it if a soil test shows a real deficiency, per USDA NRCS.
• Quail, dove, and turkey eat the seed heads, so leaving the stalks up into fall and winter adds food value for birds, per USDA NRCS.

Fall

Fall is when Florida paspalum sets its seed heads, which mature into late fall. This warm season bunchgrass is typically left standing now rather than cut back.

• Seed heads mature in late fall, per USDA NRCS, leave them in place so birds can feed on them into winter.
• Skip cutting the grass back now, waiting until late winter or early spring keeps shelter available for overwintering insects, per the Xerces Society.
• The foliage will start turning tan and brown as the plant goes dormant, that color change is expected and not a sign of a problem.
• Fall is not the time to reseed or divide the clump, plan that work for spring instead.
• A mowed edge or defined bed border around the clump helps the tall standing grass read as an intentional planting.

Leaving seed heads and dry stems standing through fall can look untidy to a neighbor, a clean mowed edge or defined bed line around the clump signals it is a planned planting rather than neglect.

Winter

Florida paspalum is fully dormant in winter. Its tan seed stalks and foliage stand through the cold, serving as shelter until the clump greens up again in spring.

• Tan, dry looking growth is normal for a dormant warm season grass in winter, not a sign the plant has died, per USDA NRCS.
• Leave the standing stems up through winter, they shelter insects and small wildlife that a pollinator friendly yard depends on, per the Xerces Society.
• Do not cut back or mow now, save that task for late winter or early spring instead.
• An established, dormant clump handles typical Hot Springs area winter cold without extra protection.
• If a winter storm mats the grass down, it is fine to clear loose debris, but hold off on a full cutback.

A dormant, tan clump can look bare in winter, keeping the bed edges clean and mulched signals it is an active planting rather than an abandoned patch.

Spring

Spring is when Florida paspalum breaks dormancy and greens up as the soil warms. It is also the best window to cut back last year's dry growth before new blades emerge and, if wanted, to seed or divide new plants.

• Cut old stems back to about 4 to 6 inches before new green growth starts, USDA NRCS notes the plant handles mowing that low without harm.
• Do not expect visible new growth until the soil warms in mid to late spring, that delay is normal for a warm season grass.
• If direct seeding, plant a quarter to three quarter inch deep into a firm seedbed, per USDA NRCS guidance.
• Water new seedlings regularly through their first spring, seedlings take hold fast with reliable moisture.
• Hold off on fertilizer unless a soil test shows a real need.

Cutting back last year's dry stems in early spring, right as the neighborhood's lawns green up, keeps the planting looking tended rather than overgrown.

Summer

Summer is Florida paspalum's peak growing season in Arkansas heat. The clump fills in and begins pushing up its tall seed stalks as this warm season grass hits its stride.

• Expect the fastest growth of the year now, warm season grasses like this one are built for summer heat, per USDA NRCS.
• Water deeply and less often during dry spells rather than frequent light sprinkles, especially for a clump still getting established.
• No mowing is needed once the clump is established, this is a clumping ornamental grass, not a lawn grass.
• Seed stalks typically start emerging by late summer.
• Pull competing weeds from around the base while a young clump is still filling in.