// SPECIES PROFILE · GRASS · NATIVE

Bearded skeletongrass

Gymnopogon ambiguus

Bearded skeletongrass (Gymnopogon ambiguus) is a grass in the — family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO, OK. Hardy in zones 5a–11b. Mature size 6"–3'. Blooms Aug–Oct.

// QUICK FACTS

Family: —
Group: grass
Native range: Native to 24 U.S. states, including AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA…
USDA hardiness: Zones 5a–11b
Mature size: 6"–3'
Sun: —
Water: —
Bloom: Aug–Oct
Wildlife value: Pollinator and wildlife support
Ecological role: native species profile

Bearded skeletongrass (Gymnopogon ambiguus) — *Gymnopogon ambiguus* — Bearded skeletongrass. Photo by Eric Hunt via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Bearded skeletongrass (Gymnopogon ambiguus) is a grass in the — family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO, OK. Hardy in zones 5a–11b. Mature size 6"–3'. Blooms Aug–Oct.

Why it's on this list: native species profile. Native-range data from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (NPIN), cross-checked against iNaturalist observations. Part of Rooted Revival's regional native plant catalog — true natives for Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In the same native range, bearded skeletongrass pairs naturally with: Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Common Rush (Juncus effusus), Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides), Eastern Woodland Sedge (Carex blanda).