Kangaroo Grass

Themeda trianda / Themeda australis

Kangaroo grass is one of the most widespread native grasses in Australia growing in every state and territory, from interior arid regions to the alps and coast. It once dominated tussock grasslands in eastern Australia, but has been largely removed as areas were cleared for agriculture.

Kangaroo grass is a warm season, deep rooted perennial grass with a soft, erect or sprawling tussocky habit. The leaves are long and thin and as they mature, turn from green to red/brown/purple. Kangaroo grass can grow to a height of 40-90 cm. Attractive rusty-red seedheads form throughout the summer and are usually 30-50 cm long on stems with dark nodes. This grass spreads by seed, not by root growth. After harvest, the seed is dormant for six months. Kangaroo grass doesn't grow during winter.

Kangaroo grass can still be seen in remnant plains grasslands, sclerophyll, redgum and box woodlands as well as open grassy forests. It grows on sandy soils to heavy clays and is often common in areas where moisture collects and grazing is infrequent. It also grows in soils of low to moderately high pH.

High drought tolerance

High heat tolerance

Low to moderate frost tolerance

Moderate to good feed value when actively growing

Native Seeds supplies Kangaroo seed as pure seed with no appendages or sometimes as florets or thatch. The cleaned seed should be sown 5-10 mm deep. No fertiliser is needed at sowing. The seedbed should be free of weeds and not too finely tilled. Kangaroo grass germinates best when subject to wet/dry cycles over the weeks following sowing. Seed germinates readily in spring and summer with air temperatures over 25°C and soil temperatures over 20°C. Sowing rates: 2 kg/ha for pasture 5-8 kg/ha for turf.

Amenity uses: golf course roughs, passive recreation, lawns. Landscaping: useful for decorative planting because of its attractive foliage and seedheads, seasonal variations in colour, its adaptability and low maintenance. Revegetation: good in combination with other native grasses in areas of inhospitable soils where minimum preparation is needed. Because of its deep roots, Kangaroo grass can help maintain a low water table thereby assisting to control dryland salinity. Pasture: when actively growing and is best when intermittently grazed.

Varieties

This variety is an ideal choice for perennial pastures for grazing of sheep and cattle. Grazing has been shown to be most productive on this grass when carried out under rotational management. It was selected for long term persistence and high productivity per hectare. This grass was developed by the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC) through research funded by DLWC and the Meat and Livestock Association, the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation and the Victorian Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. Native Seeds Pty Ltd holds the exclusive licence to this variety.

Useful for revegetation because of the following characteristics: High persistence over many years Reduced fire risk because the largest proportion of foliage is produced close to the ground rather than on its seeding stems Better seed production. It is ideally suited to growth on poor and exposed soils, low fertility and rainfall sites and for situations where low maintenance is required. This variety was bred by CSIRO specifically for roadside and minesite revegetation and is licensed exclusively to Native Seeds Pty Ltd.