Eragrostis spectabilis: Country Or Region Of Origin
S. Canada to NE. Mexico
Plant Profile: Eragrostis spectabilis
Taxonomy: Eragrostis spectabilisNames
Purple Lovegrass, Purple Love Grass, Tumble Grass
Phonetic Spelling:er-uh-GROS-tis speck-TAB-ih-liss
Genus:Eragrostis
Species:spectabilis
Family:Poaceae
This ornamental grass is a compact, perennial variety that thrives in sandy environments, often seen in fields, along roadsides, and within woodlands. It flourishes in well-drained, slightly dry soil and requires full sunlight for optimal growth. For best results, consider planting it in small clusters or using it in mass plantings within borders, meadows, or native plant gardens.
Potential issues include pests such as aphids, leaf spot, and spittlebugs, which may affect its health.
Eragrostis spectabilis Feature Summary
Eragrostis spectabilis Image Gallery
Tags
#drought tolerant
#cut flowers
#low maintenance
#mass planting
#flower arrangements
#grass
#dried flowers
#NC native
#airy
#naturalizes
#borders
#fine details
#arrangements
#clumping
#billowy
#native ornamental grass
#poor soils tolerant
#food source herbage
#piedmont mountains UPL
#native sedge
#small group plantings
#bird friendly
#food source hard mast fruit
#mammals
#butterfly friendly
#butterfly larvae
#Coastal FACU
#audubon
Similar Plants
Eragrostis spectabilis Feature Summary
Attributes
S. Canada to NE. Mexico
Perennial
Seed
Division
Fruit
Caryopsis dark brown .8 mm long as the seeds mature they dry and fall off the plant and are blown around by the wind. Fruits are available September-November and are pink and purple in color.
Caryopsis
Brown/Copper
Purple/Lavender
Pink
< 1 inch
Flowers
Messy, loose appearance inflorescence is a panicle. Appears in late summer to fall (August-October)then appears as reddish-purple clouds and fades to soft brown.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Brown/Copper
Panicle
Good Cut
Showy
Good Dried
Summer
Fall
Leaves
Dull green hairy on both sides flat, up to 10" long 3/8" wide
Green
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Sheath
Rosulate
Acicular
> 6 inches
Rough
< 1 inch
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Clumping
Low
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Native Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Small groups
Drought
Pollution
Salt
Black Walnut
Poor Soil
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Songbirds
Small Mammals
Eragrostis spectabilis Image Gallery
Eragrostis spectabilis Attributes
Eragrostis spectabilis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Eragrostis spectabilis: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Eragrostis spectabilis Fruit
Eragrostis spectabilis: Fruit Description
Caryopsis dark brown .8 mm long as the seeds mature they dry and fall off the plant and are blown around by the wind. Fruits are available September-November and are pink and purple in color.
Eragrostis spectabilis: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Eragrostis spectabilis: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Eragrostis spectabilis: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Eragrostis spectabilis: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Eragrostis spectabilis Flowers
Eragrostis spectabilis: Flower Description
Messy, loose appearance inflorescence is a panicle. Appears in late summer to fall (August-October)then appears as reddish-purple clouds and fades to soft brown.
Eragrostis spectabilis: Flower Color
Brown/Copper
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Eragrostis spectabilis: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Eragrostis spectabilis: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Eragrostis spectabilis: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Eragrostis spectabilis Leaves
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Description
Dull green hairy on both sides flat, up to 10" long 3/8" wide
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Color
Green
Eragrostis spectabilis: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Eragrostis spectabilis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Eragrostis spectabilis: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Eragrostis spectabilis Whole Plant Traits
Eragrostis spectabilis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Eragrostis spectabilis: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Eragrostis spectabilis: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Eragrostis spectabilis: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Eragrostis spectabilis Cultural Conditions
Eragrostis spectabilis: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Eragrostis spectabilis: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Eragrostis spectabilis: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Eragrostis spectabilis: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Eragrostis spectabilis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Eragrostis spectabilis: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Eragrostis spectabilis Stem
Eragrostis spectabilis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Eragrostis spectabilis Landscape
Eragrostis spectabilis: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Eragrostis spectabilis: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Eragrostis spectabilis: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Eragrostis spectabilis: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Eragrostis spectabilis: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
