Japanese stiltgrass

Appearance

It typically grows to heights between 40 and 100 cm and is capable of rooting at each node. The plant flowers in late summer and produces its seeds in the form of a caryopsis shortly thereafter. It is quite similar to and often grows along with the North American grass "Leersia virginica", but "L. virginica" lacks the distinctive silver stripe on the center of the leaf that is present on Japanese stiltgrass and also flowers one to two months earlier.

Distribution

"Microstegium viminium" is native to many parts of Asia from Turkey in the west to Japan in the east. In East Asia, it is found in China, Japan, the Russian Far East, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. In Southeast Asia, its native range includes Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. In South Asia, it occurs in Bhutan, India, and Nepal. In West Asia, particularly in the Caucasus and the Black Sea and Caspian Sea coasts, it can be found in Turkey, Georgia, Iran, and in Sochi in Russia.

The species has also been introduced extensively beyond its native range. In North America, it is established throughout the Midwestern United States, the Southeastern United States, the West South Central United States, the Northeastern United States, and southern Ontario in Canada.

Habitat

Despite its invasive status in the United States, there are some benefits to stiltgrass. It can serve as a host plant for some native satyr butterflies, such as the Carolina satyr "Hermeuptychia sosybius" and the endangered Mitchell's satyr "Neonympha mitchellii". In the absence of other habitat, stiltgrass is more preferable to have than nothing, providing cover for native amphibians such as wood frogs and toads. Stiltgrass is also unfavorable habitat for ticks due to higher temperature and lower humidity, leading to increased mortality for them. The dead fallen stems of stiltgrass can provide shelter for rodents to the point where aerial predators cannot catch them.

White-tailed deer do not eat stiltgrass and help its dominance by eating competing plants. However, stiltgrass can be outcompeted by other aggressive species such as annual ryegrass, Virginia cutgrass, and jewelweed. Stiltgrass can also be controlled by regular fires, thick leaf litter, and succession of taller herbs.