Hobbies And Interests
Technical Aspects
Andropogon virginicus is a vascular, flowering seed plant of the grass family that is now also to be found in other countries, including Australia and Japan. It is invasive and will colonize areas such as abandoned mine works and pasture or prairies. Unfortunately for some locations, it is damaging to local ecosystems. In Hawaii, for instance, it flourishes during the wet season but dies back to leave the ground susceptible to erosion.
Broom Sedge as Food
Despite colonizing large areas of pasture and prairie, broom sedge constitutes a poor crop for grazing animals. Cattle, however, will eat it during spring and early summer but, it is widely regarded as having little nutritional value as forage. Some birds will also use it as a source of food, taking the seeds from the flowering heads in winter, but they will generally only do this if there are no alternative seeds from other plants.
Broom Sedge as Cover
Although it may be little use as a food source, broom sedge does have more value to birds as nesting cover. Indeed, it is often used by quail as the species' most common nesting material. It is also popular with other birds that build nests on the ground as it offers good cover, growing in clumps and routinely reaching 2 to 4 feet in height. It is also tolerant of many soil types and will grow almost anywhere.
Broom Sedge Drawbacks
Because it is such a successful grass, broom sedge can be deleterious to other forage plants as it will force out other species and can be difficult to eradicate. Its ability to thrive in a wide range of habitats means it will invade agricultural land, road verges and abandoned land, and can establish itself as the dominant ground cover within as short a period as four to five years. Its seeds are wind-borne and will germinate in virtually any soil.