Common Name: Torpedo Grass

General Information

Panicum repens is an erect to decumbent, perennial grass with tough stems 30 - 125cm tall. Spreading aggressively from a rhizomatous rootstock, the plant can form extensive, dominant swards[, , ]
The plant is used in soil stabilization projects[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Widely spread in the Old World subtropics and tropics from southern Europe, through Africa and Asia to southeast China, the Philippines and Indonesia

Habitat

A plant of generally wet places, such as lake shores, edges of dams, and seasonal and permanent swamps, brackish shorelines, also commonly found as a weed of perennial plantation crops; at elevations from sea level to 2,000 metres[, ].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

Panicum repens is a plant of the tropics and subtropics, extending as far north as southern Europe. It can be found at elevations up to 2,000 metres in the tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 18 - 26°c, but can tolerate 13 - 35°c[]. It is not very cold tolerant and can be killed by persistent frost[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,800mm, but tolerates 550 - 4,300mm[].
Prefers a sunny position, tolerating light shade[]. Prefers a snady soil, tolerating heavy soils that are moist, and generally succeeding in most moist to wet soils of moderate fertility[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 4.5 - 6.2, tolerating 4 - 7.7[]. The plant is drought tolerant when growing in soils with a relatively high water table, and can also survive several days of standing water[].
A plant that can spread widely by means of its rhizomatous rootstock, Panicum repens has been introduced as a fodder crop in many parts of the tropics and subtropics. In most instances it has not proved to be invasive, but in some areas it has become a serious weed[]. It has proved to be a particularly difficult to control in southeastern N. America - it is listed as a prohibited noxious weed in Arizona and as a noxious weed in Alabama, Hawaii and Texas. In Florida it is designated an invasive exotic[].
The plant is resistant to fire, the rhizomes surviving and quickly sending up new growth[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

With its aggressively spreading rhizomes that can grow for several metres, this is a useful species for binding coastal sands, lake shores and 20 - 30° steep pond slopes[]. It is a useful species for reclaiming saline soils[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow, or only just cover the seed, in a sunny position and keep the soil mix moist. Fresh seed may require a period of dormancy before it will germinate.
Division. The rhizome produces axillarly buds along its length. Most of these remain dormant unless the rhizome is fragmented. Small lengths of rhizome 5cm long will usually have one or more buds and these will soon produce new growth and quickly develop into a new plant[].