# Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass (*coleataenia longifolia*)

The Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass has tall, slender leaves that dance in the breeze. This grass is a favorite spot for butterflies and other tiny creatures to play and hide!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** It typically grows in grassy fields and along roadsides.
- **Also known as:** Longleaf Panicgrass, Redtop Grass

![Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/216938131/medium.jpeg)

Photo: Cleveland Powell, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/216938131)

## Appearance

The Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass has slender stems reaching up to three feet tall, adorned with long, flat, strap-like leaves that can display a reddish or purplish hue, especially in direct sunlight. Its airy flower clusters, known as panicles, emerge in late summer, giving it a soft, feathery appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Poaceae
- **Genus:** Coleataenia

## Interesting facts

- Even when dry, its reddish leaves provide beautiful color in winter landscapes!
- Its scientific name, Coleataenia, means 'sheathed ribbon,' describing its leaves!
- Many tiny insects use this grass as a safe hiding spot from predators.
- This grass can help stop soil from washing away, protecting valuable land.

## Special abilities

- **Reddish Resilience:** Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass can develop reddish or purplish leaves, which may help it cope with stress or sun exposure.
- **Seed Spreader:** Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass has numerous tiny seeds that are easily dispersed by wind and consumed by birds, aiding its spread.
- **Root Anchor:** Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass has a fibrous root system that helps it prevent soil erosion in open, disturbed areas.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Northern Cardinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-cardinal) (*Cardinalis cardinalis*) — Eats its abundant seeds during fall and winter.
- **Eaten by:** [Song Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/song-sparrow) (*Melospiza melodia*) — Feeds on seeds, often scratching them from the ground.
- **Eats:** American Grasshopper (*Schistocerca americana*) — Larvae and adults graze on the leaves of various grasses.
- **Shelter:** [White-footed Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-footed-mouse) (*Peromyscus leucopus*) — Uses dense grass clumps for cover and nesting material.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass?

30-90 cm

### When does Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass bloom?

Summer to fall

### Is Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass edible?

No

### Is Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass toxic?

None

### What is Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass pollinated?

Wind

### Where is Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass usually found?

It typically grows in grassy fields and along roadsides.

## Where to spot

- [Muddy Hole Farm Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/muddy-hole-farm-park) — Virginia, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Long-Leaved Redtop-Panicgrass Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-leaved-redtop-panicgrass)