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Heller's Rosette Grass

Dichanthelium oligosanthes

Last reviewed: August 2026

Heller's Rosette Grass (Dichanthelium oligosanthes)
Photo: Choess / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Toxicity unknown

Heller's Rosette Grass (Dichanthelium oligosanthes) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

12"–24" H × 6"–12" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul, Aug

Native to

AL, AR, DE, FL and 21 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 445 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Chihuahuan DesertsHigh PlainsSouthwestern TablelandsCentral Great PlainsGreat PlainsCross TimbersEdwards PlateauSouthern Texas PlainsTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsWestern Gulf Coastal PlainSouth Central PlainsEastern Temperate ForestsOzark HighlandsCentral Irregular PlainsNorthwestern Great PlainsPiedmontWestern Corn Belt PlainsNorthern Lakes and ForestsNorth Central Hardwood ForestsDriftless AreaSoutheastern Wisconsin Till PlainsCentral Corn Belt PlainsEastern Corn Belt PlainsSouthern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift PlainsHuron/Erie Lake PlainsNortheastern HighlandsNortheastern Coastal ZoneMiddle Atlantic Coastal PlainNorthern PiedmontSoutheastern PlainsRidge and ValleyInterior River Valleys and HillsMississippi Alluvial PlainSouthern Coastal PlainAtlantic Coastal Pine Barrens

Scribner's rosette grass is a native bunch grass that forms neat, compact clumps with fine-textured foliage. This well-behaved perennial produces delicate seed heads in summer and maintains an attractive mounded form throughout the growing season.

In an HOA neighborhood

Heller's Rosette Grass takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

  • Appearance too wild and informal for most HOA standards
  • Seed heads may be perceived as unmaintained
  • Native grass aesthetic conflicts with traditional landscaping expectations

Wildlife value

The summer blooms provide nectar and pollen for native bees and beetles. Seeds feed songbirds and small mammals in late summer and fall.

Common questions

How much sun does Heller's Rosette Grass need?
Heller's Rosette Grass grows best in part sun conditions.
When does Heller's Rosette Grass bloom?
Heller's Rosette Grass blooms in June, July, and August.
Where is Heller's Rosette Grass native?
Heller's Rosette Grass (Dichanthelium oligosanthes) is native to AL, AR, DE, FL and 21 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What pollinators does Heller's Rosette Grass attract?
Heller's Rosette Grass draws bees and beetles.
Is Heller's Rosette Grass HOA-friendly?
Heller's Rosette Grass takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Ready to grow Heller's Rosette Grass? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

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