Fresh Dirt, Sunset’s great garden blog, recently had a couple of columns on six plants I can’t live without:
Six plants I can’t live without – Fresh Dirt – Sunset.com (Posted using ShareThis)
For me, it is California’s wild bunchgrasses (in case you didn’t know) that tickle me the most
(see Overlooked and Underappreciated). So here’s my list with pictures to go along:
1. deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens)
2. needlegrass (Nassella species)
3. blue gramma grass (Bouteloua gracilis)
4. California melic (Melica imperfecta)
5. California fescue (Festuca californica)
6. purple three awn (Aristida purpurea var. purpurea)
Deergrass at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden with Pigeon Point coyote bush in front.
From Wild Suburbia |
Needlegrass (purple needlegrass is the state grass) hard to do it justice in a photograph. Its delicate needle-like awns are in the foreground.
From Wild Suburbia |
Blue gramma grass has decorative flowers that look like eye-lashes.
From Wild Suburbia |
Melic grass does well in part-sun or shade.
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From Wild Suburbia |
Californica fescue – not the straight bladed wire grass (Juncus patens) but the softer grass is the foreground slightly left of center.
From Wild Suburbia |
Purple three awn with San Diego viguiera (Viguiera laciniata). It does seed around but is very ornamental.
From Wild Suburbia |
Purple three awn with characteristic purple colored awns.
From Wild Suburbia |
Hi–I'm trying to seed some purple three awn grass on my 1-acre property. Not having much success despite twice-daily irrigation and summer monsoon rains here in Flagstaff, AZ. I noticed that you use this plant in your garden. Any advice? Have you tried seeding it? I'm at coconino@yahoo.com. Steve