Longspike Tridens
(Tridens strictus)
Left: Longspike tridens in the ASMSA garden.
Below: A close up of the seeds of Longspike tridens in the ASMSA garden.
Plant Characteristics
Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:
Longspike tridens preferred growing conditions are full sun in medium shade. Additionally, the Longspike Tridens can grow efficiently in any type of soil whether it be high or low moisture soil.
Growth Habit/Description:
Longspike tridens can grow up to 2-5 feet tall and have thin green blades that can grow up to twenty inches long. Lastly, the panicle can grow to be 4-12 inches wide, depending on the care of the plant.
Bloom Season:
The Longspike tridens thrives around summer or autumn, producing inflorescences and white, red, or brown flowers.
Fall and/or Winter Interest?
Fall Interest. The longspike tridens thrive through the fall, showing its red, white and brown flourished flowers. Additionally, inflorescences could grow up to twenty inches long.
Distribution
Habitat: Longspike tridens lives among moist and dry soils, prairies, fields, waste areas, and roadsides in the South.
Native to Arkansas? Yes
Native to Garland County? No
Endemic to Arkansas? Yes
Ecological Value
Host Plant for Caterpillars?
Yes. The Longspike tridens is a host plant for the Common wood nymph caterpillar and the broad-winged skipper.
Other Known Ecological Value?
Yes. Wild turkeys and quails are attracted to the seeds coming from the Longspike tridens for food. Additionally, numerous insects such as skippers, glassywings, and so much more use the Longspike tridens as a host plant for their larvae.
Other Interesting Facts
Origin of Name:
The Longspike tridens gets its name from the spike-like panicles.
Related Plant Species:
Longspike tridens is related to both Tridens flavus and Tridens eragrostoides. Tridens strictus differs from Tridens flavus because Tridens flavus grows to about seven feet whereas Tridens strictus grows to only about three to four feet. Additionally, Tridens strictus differs from Tridens eragrostoides since Tridens strictus bloom color can vary between numerous colors such as white, red, green, brown, or even golden whereas Tridens eragrostoides only blooms in purple or brown.
Use For Food/Medicine:
Longspike tridens provides food for animals but not for humans.
References
Characteristics of the butterfly that feed off the Tridens strictus- Available From- https://alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu/species/details/121/broad-winged%20skipper#:~:text=Caterpillar%3A%20Body%20pale%20greenish%20tan.
Characteristics of the Longspike tridens -Available From- https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TRST2
Last edited by Bianca Navarro, September 2024.