Names
Scientific Name: Heteropogon contortus
Synonym: Andropogon contortus
Common Names: Tanglehead, black spear grass, barba negra, zacate colorado
Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Grass
Arizona Native Status: Native (Naturalized?)
Habitat: Grassland, savannah, woodland openings
Flower Color: N/A
Flowering Season: September and October, occasionally January to April
Height: To 5 feet
Description: Tanglehead grows in large bunches with flat, pale-bluish stems and rough leaves that are flat or folded and 4 to 12 inches long. Flowering heads consist of narrow, dense spikes 4 inches in length with red-brown awns that bend conspicuously.
Special Characteristics
Tanglehead is a primarily tropical grass that occurs on every major landmass between 35˚N and 35˚S. It provides cover for birds and small animals. In Hawaii it has been used traditionally as thatch for houses, especially because of its pleasant odor and resistance to the elements. It is often planted as an ornamental, because of its attractive seedheads. Tanglehead seeds can become imbedded in the fur and skin of animals like sheep or dogs, sometimes causing injury.
Classification
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
SOURCES:
Heteropogon contortus. Tropical Forages website: tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Heteropogon_contortus.htm
Heteropogon contortus. USDA NRCS Plant Fact Sheet. Retrieved from: plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/f_heco10.pdf
