Cotton Panic (Digitaria Brownii)
Cotton Panic (Digitaria Brownii)
Cotton Panic will spread easily around a property. It is sold as florets. The fluffy seed heads do not allow it to pass through a seedbox, and to sow a pure stand it requires spreading.
This summer-growing perennial grass is found in all states of Australia except for Tasmania. It is easily recognisable by its hairy ‘cotton ball’ seed heads.
Note: Most native seed contains a proportion of hard seed that will not germinate at the time of sowing and will wait until the conditions are suitable before germination.
This ensures the survival of the plant species. If the germination is low in the first year, it should not be regarded as a failure; usually, the remaining seed will germinate and grow during the following season.
High-quality grazing
Drought tolerant
C4 summer active perennial
Growing height 60-70cm
Sowing rate 2-3kg/ha
Sowing methods
Most warm-season perennial grass species(C4) are sown as the weather and soil warms in October to November when the soil temperature reaches 17-18 degrees Celcius. I would recommend sowing with a zero-till seed drill at a depth of 5-10 mm, into moist soil that is free from summer weeds.
Red grass and cotton panic can be spread during this time.
It is not usually recommended to sow warm-season grass during the autumn-winter months, but I have seen good results with native species sown at that time.
Warm-season (C4) perennials will not germinate during the cold months but will wait until the soil temperature and moisture is suitable for germination (usually October to December)
The advantage of sowing C4 grass species this way is that winter pasture species (C3) can be sown with the C4 seed, at the same time.
Note: Most native seed contains a proportion of hard seed that will not germinate at the time of sowing and will wait until the conditions are suitable before germination. This ensures the survival of the plant species. If the germination is low in the first year, it should not be regarded as a failure; usually, the remaining seed will germinate and grow during the following season.
