Melica smithii Plant Care
Melica smithii Vasey
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Melica smithii is a species of grass that grows in the Canadian provinces Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and the US states Idaho, Michigan, Montana, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The species is named after Charles Eastwick Smith.
Full sun to partial shade
At a glance
How do you care for Melica smithii?
Melica smithii grows best in full sun to partial shade.
What Is the Melica smithii?
Melica smithii (Melica smithii) belongs to the Poaceae family within the Melica genus.
Melica smithii displays a clumping grass growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Melica smithii produces delicate panicles of small spikelets.
What Light Does the Melica smithii Need?
Melica smithii thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Melica smithii?
Well-draining loamy soil with good organic content. Good drainage is essential for Melica smithii to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Melica smithii?
Divide clumps every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Melica smithii?
Melica smithii can be propagated through seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to silvery hair grass plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Melica smithii Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Melica smithii, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Melica smithii?
Melica smithii is susceptible to grasshoppers, cutworms, armyworms. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Melica smithii is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Melica genus — compare its care with other Melica species on PlantoScan.
Melica is part of the Poaceae plant family — browse all Poaceae genera and species.
Melica smithii thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Melica Species
Other Melica species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Melica smithii Vasey, family Poaceae (first published in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 15: 294 (1888)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Melica smithii, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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