Redtop Panicgrass
Coleataenia rigidula
Last reviewed: August 2026
Coleataenia rigidula, or redtop panicgrass, is a warm season perennial grass that blooms June through September, thriving in full sun with medium moisture in wet meadows, marsh edges and roadside ditches.
Toxicity unknown
Redtop Panicgrass (Coleataenia rigidula) 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
full sun
Water
medium
Size
12"–36" H × 6"–18" W
Bloom
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Native to
AL, AR, CA, CT and 30 more states
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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Redtop panicgrass is a native bunch grass that forms neat, upright clumps with fine-textured foliage. It produces delicate, airy seed heads from summer through early fall that add graceful movement to the landscape.
Growing Redtop Panicgrass
Grow Redtop Panicgrass in full sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 36 inches tall and spread 6 to 18 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Redtop Panicgrass is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 4 out of 5.
Works well in: front yard, foundation, street edge, mid zone.
Wildlife value
The seed heads provide food for songbirds and small mammals. As a native grass, it supports various insects and adds habitat structure for ground-dwelling wildlife.
Common questions
- What growing conditions does redtop panicgrass prefer?
- Redtop panicgrass grows best in full sun with medium, consistent soil moisture. It is often found in low, moist spots such as wet meadows, ditches and pond margins.
- When does Coleataenia rigidula bloom?
- It blooms from June through September, producing airy, branched seed heads typical of panicgrasses.
- Is redtop panicgrass a warm season or cool season grass?
- It is a warm season perennial bunchgrass, meaning it grows most actively in the heat of late spring and summer before going dormant in winter.
- Does redtop panicgrass tolerate wet soil?
- Yes, it handles consistently moist to seasonally wet soil well, which makes it useful along pond edges, low meadows and drainage areas.
- Is Redtop Panicgrass HOA-friendly?
- Redtop Panicgrass is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Redtop Panicgrass? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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