The low-maintenance alternatives to exotic, difficult-to-care-for plants in the garden are native plants. Native grasses are a fantastic and adaptable substitute for conventional lawns. They tolerate practically any well-draining soil, grow well without fertilizer, and attract local animals.
If you reside in the West, you may be surprised by the quantity and variety of native ornamental grasses accessible in California. Native grasses in Nevada are another option for inhabitants. They have evolved over generations to fit their specific environments and temperatures, making them all tough and adaptable.
California Native Ornamental Grasses
The most difficult component of adding native California grasses to your garden will be deciding on the many lovely species available. It is time to learn about the attractive qualities of native Californian grasses if the term “native grass” makes you think of scrubby vegetation.
The purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea), the state grass of California, is beautiful and elegant. Its purple grass crowns, which cover the stalks all year and wave in the wind, grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet (31 to 61 cm).
Ornamental Grasses California
Silver beard grass, also a native grass to California but formerly known as Andropogon saccharides, is another quite beautiful species. Although some claim it may not have originated in California, it does grow wild there.
Outstanding decorative qualities may be found in silver beard grass. The grass reaches a height of about 18 inches (46 cm), and several upright flower spikes spread out over a few feet (1 m). Silky tiny puffs that are truly beautiful are perched on each spike. Plant this grass in large quantities for an impressive show. The display goes on as the leaves change to flaming hues in the fall. This grass is very drought resistant and requires little to no maintenance.
Nevada Native Grasses
Deergrass is another magnificent natural grass that might be useful for those in Nevada or California (Muhlenbergia rigens). Each clump of deergrass may reach a height of five feet (1.5 meters) and a width of two feet. They are likened to enormous pincushions because they produce an abundance of prickly blooming stalks. Deergrass simply needs a weekly drink to appear most attractive when placed in a sunny area with plenty of space.
Native Nevadan birds will visit your yard thanks to deergrass. These may include jays, crows, titmice, grosbeaks, sparrows, and buntings.
Consider bluebunch fescue if you want something shorter (Festuca idahoensis). It is a perennial grass with a maximum height of 2 ½ feet (76 cm), sometimes known as bunchgrass fescue. The blue-tinted green stems develop in tufts in full sun to light shade. Added advantage? Birds like finches, waxwings, nuthatches, sparrows, chickadees, mockingbirds, and woodpeckers are drawn to your yard by bluebunch fescue.