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Tiny grass-like plants

Tiny grass-like plants

September 12, 2015 tarzan Comments 2 comments

Usually I write about plants I know – or about plants I think I know :). This time I have no clue and would like to get some help with plant identification. I’ve made a photo of two small patches of the grass-like plant that is well under an inch (2cm) tall. It spreads by growing above ground runners or stolons, in a similar way like some other grasses or for example strawberries. Each runner makes two or even more tiny plantlets that grow roots and effectively spread around their mother plant.

Small grass patch first started to grow in the moss.
Small grass patch first started to grow in the moss.

The plants are extremely small and I didn’t even see them at first, but after a while, when they made a couple of small patches in dry and very hot weather, when other grass and moss appeared brown, I noticed them. They started growing in sand around the house just under the roof, which means that seeds could have been brought there by wind. I’ve never seen such a small grass (nor reed or sedge) around here in Central Europe. If anyone knows the plant, I’d like to know too. 🙂

I have not seen their flowers yet, but I’ll save a couple of them inside for the winter in case they can’t tolerate winter well enough. The way it grows, it would be superb undercover for any potted plant to hide the bare soil under thick tiny dark green grass.

Perhaps it’s just a common weed, but as I said, I’ve never seen something that small.

It colonizes the moss firs and then start spreading into sand and gravel
It colonizes the moss firs and then start spreading into sand and gravel

When it finally started flowering, it became evident that plant was nothing special. By asking and intensive browsing on the internet, I found out it’s most likely from Sagina genus. When I saw it’s flowers, I knew for sure, it was Sagina procumbens. I haven’t seen it around here before, but I have read it’s growing all around the northern hemisphere. I actually saw this thing being sold in a garden centre.

Flowering Sagina procumbens with seed pods
Flowering Sagina procumbens with seed pods
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2 thoughts on “Tiny grass-like plants”

  1. Alan @ It's Not Work, It's Gardening! says:
    September 17, 2015 at 21:43

    It looks like it might be related to Liriope, although much smaller. I’d grow this! (so please find out what it is!)

    Reply
    1. tarzan says:
      September 17, 2015 at 22:37

      I think there’s a good chance it’s Sagina subulata. It might still be something else, but after some research, some of the pictures indicate that it might be the same plant. I started growing it in sand/potting soil mix to hopefully induce flowering. I keep it next to the window during the day and place it under LED light for a couple of hours after dark. When it gets colder I’ll just place it inside somewhere around carnivores and give it a lot of light if it doesn’t start flowering sooner.
      If it is in fact Sagina subulata, it has really lovely flowers. Small and perhaps almost invisible from height of average human, but lovely. 🙂

      Reply

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