by Mary Free, Extension Master Gardener
What adjective describes a plant that grows in dense tufts?
Rhizomatous and stoloniferous plants produce new shoots from underground or above-ground stems, respectively, that can wander far from the parent plant. In contrast, this kind of plant typically grows from a crown, forming a dense, compact tuft with usually localized spread. Examples of such plants include Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Silene caroliniana (wild pink), and Sisyrinchium augustifolium (narrow-leaved blue-eyed-grass). Click here to learn more about this new entry in the Illustrated Glossary.
