Pennisetum clandestinum Seeds | Kikuyu Grass
LATIN NAME: Pennisetum clandestinum
COMMON NAME: Kikuyu Grass, Kikuyu
Plant Profile
Kikuyu is a creeping grass from the East African highlands that has become one of the most aggressive and useful pasture plants in the warm world. It comes from the highlands of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, between about 1,900 and 3,000 metres, where it grows in moist grassland and forest edges on volcanic soil, and it was carried to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and California as a fodder grass in the early twentieth century. The plant spreads by long surface stolons and by deep rhizomes, forming a dense mat of soft, bright green leaves that roots at every node. Its flowers are hidden: the seed head stays inside the leaf sheath, and only the white, thread-like stigmas protrude, which is why the species is called clandestinum. In the right climate it is excellent pasture and a tough lawn; in the wrong one it is a weed that smothers everything in its path and survives fire, mowing and drought.
Science & Biotechnology
Pennisetum clandestinum has one of the most unusual flowering arrangements in the grass family: the inflorescence never emerges, and self-pollination takes place inside the sheath, so seed is set without any need for wind or insects. That is a bet-hedging strategy for a plant that spreads mainly by stolons, and it means a single introduced plant can produce viable seed on its own. The species is a C4 grass, efficient in heat and light, and its rhizomes store enough carbohydrate to regenerate after the top is destroyed. Roots can reach two metres, which is why the plant survives dry seasons and why it competes so effectively for water and nutrients. It responds to grazing and mowing by producing more shoots, so light grazing thickens the sward and neglect makes it rank. In parts of California and Australia it is listed as an environmental weed, forming solid mats that prevent native seedlings from establishing.
Uses & Benefits
In warm climates it is one of the best pasture grasses for dairy and beef, carrying heavy stocking on moist soils, and it is widely used on sports fields, golf roughs and lawns because it tolerates wear and mowing. It is valuable for erosion control on banks and dams, where its mat of stolons holds soil against heavy rain. In South Africa and Australia it is cut for hay and silage, and it is used as a living mulch under orchards. Against that, it is a serious weed of bushland, vineyards and vegetable crops, and it is difficult to eradicate once established, since every fragment of rhizome can grow. In a garden it should be used only where a tough, spreading lawn is wanted and where it can be contained. Kikuyu poisoning of cattle occurs occasionally in Australia and South Africa, usually after rain following drought.
Growing from Seed
Seed is scarce and germination is erratic, so kikuyu is usually established from stolons or from turf. Spread fresh runners on a prepared seedbed in spring or early autumn, cover them lightly with soil, and keep the ground moist until they root. Sow seed at 5 to 10 kg per hectare if you have it, on the surface, and roll it in. The grass needs full sun, regular water and nitrogen to establish, and it will not tolerate deep shade. Mow high in the first season to encourage runners, then at 3 to 5 cm once the sward is closed. Feed in spring and after each grazing period. To keep it out of a bed, sink a solid edging 20 cm deep, and remove any runner that crosses it immediately; a rotary hoe will only spread the rhizome fragments.
Our Take
A tough, fast, hidden-flowered grass that makes the best pasture and the worst weed in the same climate. Use it where you can contain it.
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