Native Grasses for Southern California

These colorful, drought-tolerant perennials add easy-care texture to garden beds

Our gardens can be a arras ofcolors , flesh , and texture , and a fresh design take all of these elements into consideration . But when I want a flora that hit all of these marks , grassesare what I pick out . They can often be the backbone of a successfulgarden design . Whether implant as solo specimens or grouped in a swath , grasses will overtake your middle with their classifiable textural blade .

Learn more:5 Must - Have Native Plants for the Southern California Garden

They often turn either in a bunched or rhizomatous habit , signify they spread out underground or stand alone as clump . Either way , they can quickly proffer a meadow or prairie effect when planted in masses .

They also are typically carve up into either “ warm - time of year ” or “ nerveless - season ” Gunter Wilhelm Grass . This pertain to their fighting growing season and will impact your maintenance schedule . Grasses desire to be cut back annually at the onset of their alive maturate season . nerveless - time of year grasses want to be cut back in the fall , and warm - time of year grass in early leaping . Cutting back grasses is best done by manus with shear or automatically if there are large numbers to be cut back . The shearing should be done about 3 to 6 in from earth tier .

Here are some of my favored Southern California aboriginal grass specimens .

Deer grass

Muhlenbergia rigens , Zones 6–9

This California native is both drought tolerant and beautiful . It ’s a warm - season , clunking bunch grass that grows naturally in many fundamental and Southern California industrial plant communities . Plant it alone or in a grouping for its blond seminal fluid heads , which declare oneself fall texture and color . It stand about 3 feet tall and looks best when it ’s bring down back during the winter months for a refreshed growth . Although it ’s a clumping grass , it can be divided during winter as well .

Giant wild rye

Elymus condensatus , Zones 6–10

This gage is a personal favorite . The silvery blue rhizomatous foliage has broad foliage blade that are a bold addition to the landscape painting . It ’s very various in its allowance of a sort of condition , but it looks well in full sun with regular irrigation . jumbo wild Secale cereale reaches 3 to 4 foot tall and brook very erect . rationalize back in fall , as it will commence crusade out new vane in winter .

Purple three awn

Aristida purpurea , Zones 5–10

This Southern California native can also be found growing in much of North America . It make a prairie effect with dramatic empurpled cum heads when planted en masse shot . empurpled three awn only reaches about 18 inch tall , so it makes more of an impact when planted in groups .

Berkeley sedge

Carex tumulicola , Zones 4–9

This evergreen clumping grass is great for meadowscaping . It reach about 12 inches tall and is tolerant of both sun and shade , as well as regular water or drouth ( although it look better with even irrigation ) . It has a vivacious gullible color that adds a lushness to a California garden .

— Cara Hanstein is a head gardener at the Huntington Library , Art Museum , and Botanical Gardens in San Marino , California .

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