Purpletop Grass

If you like ornamental grasses but do not have a good sunny spot, purpletop grass (Tridens flavus) may be just what you’re looking for. Although it prefers full sun, purpletop does quite well in shade (just not full shade). This perennial native bunch grass* is not fussy at all. In addition to tolerating a wide range of light conditions, it adapts well to a variety of soil types, from clay-loam to sand and from slightly moist to dry.

Purpletop grass is native from Vermont and New Hampshire, south to Florida, west to New Mexico and north to Minnesota. It also occurs in California. The foliage grows to 12 to 18 inches in height with 3 to 4 foot flower culms (stems) above. The inflorescence is purplish-red (sometimes almost black) and holds its color for a long time. Like most ornamental grasses, it’s blooming now (late summer/fall).

Although purpletop may not look like much along the roadside, it can make a beautiful addition to your landscape. It makes a real pretty mass planting. Having said that, this might be a good time to bring up the subject of ‘low-maintenance native plants’. Yes, once they’re established, many native plants can mostly be left to survive on their own if that’s your intention. Customers sometimes tell us they want native plants because they perceive they’re easier, and they will not have to spend any time or effort on them. However most of us expect something a bit beyond mere survival from the plants in our yards. We want our yards and gardens to be beautiful. In nature most native plants survive periods of drought in one form or another, but they sometimes look half dead until the rains come again. Give them adequate water when nature does not, and I promise you’ll be much happier with the results.

Low maintenance is important, but at Native Nurseries we especially value native plants for their food value and importance to native wildlife. Purpletop grass is a good choice for this purpose. It is a larval food for at least half a dozen skipper butterfly species, small mammals eat the foliage and birds eat the seed and use the plant for nesting material. It is even good forage for livestock.

So, are you ready to give purpletop grass a try? As usual I have sold myself. It just occurred to me that it might be just the thing for a certain spot in my yard I’ve been mulling over—a certain spot that gets light shade. Hmmmm. We have some real pretty gallons in stock right now. I’ll give you all till Saturday closing—then what’s left is mine. :)

* Forms a clump as opposed to grasses that creep or spread. The base of the bunch grass gradually increases in size.

At Native Nurseries, we stock purpletop grass in 1-gallon pots when we have it (usually in the fall when it's blooming). As always, give us a call to check availability before making a special trip (although we’re always happy to see you). Sorry . . . we do not ship plants.

Some information for this blog post came from the following sources –

Common Grasses of Florida and the Southeast by Lewis L. Yarlett

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP34100.pdf

http://fnpsblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/florida-wildflower-garden.html

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B987-4

Elliott's Lovegrass and Purple Lovegrass

Purple Lovegrass

If you like low maintenance and you have lots of sun and well-drained soil, you’ll love Elliott’s lovegrass (Eragrostis elliottii – pronounced EAR ah grohs tis ell ee OTT ee eye) and purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis – pronounced EAR ah grohs tis SPECK tah buh liss). That is their preferred growing condition; but if you have only so-so sun and moist loam that is occasionally inundated with fresh or brackish water, you can still enjoy these two perennial native grasses in your landscape. They are that tolerant of a wide variety of conditions . . . drought tolerant, salt tolerant *, hardy to minus 10 degrees . . . you can hardly go wrong with these plants. Having said that, do not plant them in heavy clay or deep shade.

Elliott’s lovegrass and purple lovegrass are clump forming with fine-textured leaf blades. Elliott's are a pretty silvery-blue-green, and purple lovegrass foliage is green (occasionally with a reddish tinge at the tip). Their rate of growth is fast; but with their short rhizomes, they spread slowly. They grow to a height of two to two and a half feet here in Tallahassee. Apparently they can get a little taller further south where they do not die back in the winter. They both work well in rain gardens, as specimen plants or in a mass planting and are attractive to birds and butterflies.

You’ll enjoy them most in the late summer and fall when they bloom. Elliott’s lovegrass has white to tan blossoms, and (you guessed it) purple lovegrass’ blossoms are a reddish purple. The UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions site describes these wispy blossoms as resembling ‘a tinted mist above the foliage’. I think that’s an excellent description.

* Tolerates moderate amounts of salt wind without injury and occasional (but not long-term) flooding by salt or brackish water.

At Native Nurseries, we typically stock Elliott's lovegrass and purple lovegrass in 1-gallon pots. Currently we do have some in stock. As always, give us a call to check availability before making a special trip (although we’re always happy to see you). Sorry . . . we do not ship plants.

Some information for this blog post came from the following sources –

http://alachua.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/lawn_and_garden/FFL%202013%20Tour%20Fact%20Sheets/FS%2067%20Select%20FLorida%20Native%20Grasses%20for%20North%20Central%20Florida.pdf

http://nassau.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/demogarden/printables/Elliot's%20Love%20Grass.pdf

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/lovegrass.html

Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris (pronunciation – mew len BER jee uh kap pill LAIR riss), common name muhly grass, is an herbaceous, ornamental grass with a clumping form that grows 3 to 4 feet tall and approximately as wide. This tough Florida native is very tolerant of drought and flooding, moderately salt tolerant and thrives in a wide range of soil types (although sandy or rocky soil is best) making it a great choice for many landscapes. Unlike most grasses, it has a stiff, upright growth habit. In the fall, its wispy flowers emerge well above the foliage in a dramatically beautiful pinkish-purple display. But even after they’ve lost their color, muhly grass adds interest to the landscape due to its unusual form. For this reason, it is best to wait until late winter or very early spring to cut the clumps back to 6 inches. This will clear the way for new foliage and increase air circulation. Leaving the clumps unpruned over the winter also creates habitat for wildlife.

Plant muhly grass three feet apart in full to part sun (full sun is best) for a beautiful mass planting. You can plant them further apart of course, or use just one or a few to add interesting texture to a perennial garden. Muhly grass is a hardy perennial in zones 7 through 11; and other than a yearly pruning, it is virtually maintenance free. It’s great for cut flowers and even basket making. Slaves in the south (especially Charleston, SC) used to harvest the long, wiry grass blades and use them, along with other native plant materials, to weave sweetgrass baskets (one of the oldest art forms of African origin in the United States).

At Native Nurseries, we stock muhly grass most of the year in 1-gallon pots (and sometimes 3-gallon). Currently they are available in 1-gal. pots only. As always, give us a call to check availability before making a special trip (although we’re always happy to see you). Sorry . . . we do not ship plants.

Some information for this blog post came from the following sources –

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp415

http://msucares.com/news/print/sgnews/sg13/sg20131028.html