Diarrhena americana 'Beak Grass'

Diarrhena americana, commonly known as beakgrain or American beakgrass, is a perennial grass in the Poaceae family native to North America. It is typically found in wet meadows, along streams, and in other damp habitats, as well as in upland woods and woodland openings.

It typically grows to be between 1-3 ft tall, and has leaves that are 2-6 inches long and 0.25-0.5 inches wide. The leaves are flat and have a rough texture. The flowers are arranged in a spike-like inflorescence and are typically greenish-purple in color. It blooms from June to September.

One of the unique attributes of D. americana is that it produces a small, hard, one-seeded fruit that is beak-shaped, hence the common name beakgrain. This beak-shaped fruit helps to distinguish it from other grasses in the same habitat.

It handles shade well and is one of the few shade-tolerant native types of grass that is relatively short in height.