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Native Plant Society of Texas

White Tridens

Tridens albescens

Other common name(s):

White Top

Family:

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Arid Llano Estacado, Canadian/Cimarron High Plains, Llano Estacado, Rolling Sand Plains, Shinnery Sands
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Grass & Sedge

Height

2
to
3
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Clay, Loam, Moist

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Riparian, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Green

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Forage, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Browsers

Maintenance

Best used in mixed wildflower plantings. Not common in plant nurseries but seeds are available commercially. Native habitat: plains and open woods, along roadsides, riparian areas, swales.

Description

Blooms March-October. A warm-season grass. Tufted with hard, often knotty, rhizomatous base. Leaf blades: 1-4 mm. broad. Spikelets are 4-10 mm. long, 4-11 flowered, mostly straw-colored but tips usually purple.. Larval host: most branded skippers and most of the satyrs.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Rhombolytrum albescens, Sieglingia albescens, Tridens albescens, Triodia albescens

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Clump Division Water the clump thoroughly the day before dividing. Carefully dig around the entire clump, lifting it from the ground. Separate mature clumps with minimal root disturbance. ensuring each division has a good amount of roots and shoots. Plant divisions at the same depth. Water immediately and maintain consistent moisture. Choose an appropriate location based on white tridens's light and soil preferences for optimal growth. Early spring, just as new growth emerges, is the ideal time for division. This allows ample time for the divisions to establish themselves before the heat of summer. 1) https://www.picturethisai.com/wiki/Tridens_albescens.html 2) https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-tridens-albescens/
Seed No Treatment For a head start, sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost. Use a seed starting mix, sow seeds shallowly, and keep the soil consistently moist. Once the soil warms in spring, you can directly sow seeds into prepared garden beds. Choose a location with well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Germination can take anywhere from 10 days to several weeks. Keep the soil consistently moist until seedlings are established. Purchase seeds from reputable suppliers or collect your own from mature plants in late summer or fall. https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-tridens-albescens/

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason