Love Grass

Eragrostis ( Love Grass )
A group of perennial grasses that are great for massing, that prefer full sun.

Eragrostis elliottii ( Field Love Grass )
A fast growing, compact, clump-forming grass, reaching up to 3 x 3 feet, that is native to the southeastern U.S. ( from Oklahoma to North Carolina; south to southern Florida )
The attractive finely-textured foliage is blue. Typically deciduous, it is usually evergreen in southern Florida.
The flower plumes last early summer into autumn.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 in full sun on dry, very well drained soil. It is very drought tolerant. Cut back during winter.

* featured in this excellent video found on Youtube


'Wind Dancer'
Reaches up to 4 x 3 feet, with narrow intensely blue-gray to blue-green foliage.
The flower panicles during early summer are white, later drying to tan.
Hardy zones 6 to 9.

Eragrostis spectabilis ( Purple Love Grass )
A fast growing, densely clumping perennial grass, reaching up to 2.5 x 3 ( rarely over 2 ) feet, that is native to much of North America ( from southeast Wyoming to southern Manitoba to central Wisconsin to central Michigan to southeast Quebec to Maine; south to Arizona to Florida ). In the Windsor/Essex County, Ontario region; it only remains at the Ojibway Prairie in Windsor. It is usually found on dry open sandy prairie and oak-savanna in the wild.
The bright green foliage turns orange and red during fall.
Fluffy pink flower plumes cover the plant during mid-summer to mid-autumn.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 ( possibly 3 for northern Minnesota seed source ) in full sun on well drained soil that is preferrably sandy.. It generally does not survive for more than 5 years ( unless in ideal conditions and uncrowded ) to allow a few seedlings to develop. Very drought tolerant.

* photos taken on Aug 25 2013 @ University of Maryland, College Park

* photo taken on Sep 23 2013 in Burtonsville, MD

* photos taken on Sep 18 2016 @ Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, MD

* photo taken on Oct 15 2016 in Annapolis, MD

* photos taken on July 20 2024 in Columbia, MD

Eragrostis trichodes ( Sand Love Grass )
A moderate growing perennial grass, reaching up to 5 feet with bronze colored flower inflorescences, It is native to grasslands if central North America ( from southeast Wyoming to central South Dakota to central Iowa to northwest Indiana; south to southern Arizona to southern Texas to central Alabama ). It is endangered in much of its range due to destruction of natural prairie, Sand Love Grass has become extremely rare and localized in South Dakota, Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun on very well drained soil. Very tolerant of heat and drought.

'Cochise'
text coming soon

* Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.

'Mason'
text coming soon

* Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.