Purple love grass
Eragrostis spectabilis · Poaceae
📷 Mark Marathon · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Purple love grass is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Scientific name
- Eragrostis spectabilis
- Family
- Poaceae (grasses)
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Adult height
- Approximately 80 cm
- Foliage
- Deciduous, finely textured
- Flowering
- August to September
- Hardiness
- Very hardy
- Origin
- North America
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Plant in full sun in light, even poor soil: it looks more delicate and graceful there. Water sparingly, except in July-August when it benefits from a bit more water for prominent flowering.
The common mistake
Overly rich soil encourages heavy, opaque foliage: it loses its airy form and flowers become less brilliant.
The pro's trick
Sow in autumn or stratify for 4 weeks before sowing: germination is better and seedlings root over winter.
Seasonal watch
September: seeds form very quickly; if you want them looking beautiful (autumn luminous effect), don't prune before October.
Care
Light Exposure
Purple lovegrass appreciates a location in full sun for optimal growth and generous flowering. It tolerates slightly shaded positions but produces fewer spectacular flowers. A minimum of 6 hours of direct daily sunlight is recommended.
Watering
This grass is very tolerant of drought once established and requires little water. Water regularly for the first few weeks after planting to encourage root development, then reduce watering. During periods of intense heat, moderate watering is generally sufficient.
Soil
Purple lovegrass adapts to most well-draining soils, even poor or sandy ones. It dislikes waterlogging and overly compacted soils. A slightly dry to medium soil is ideal for this undemanding plant.
Fertilizing
No fertilizer is generally necessary for this robust grass, especially in average quality soil. A light application of compost in spring can be beneficial if the soil is very poor. Avoid excess nitrogen, which reduces the delicacy of the flowers.
Pruning and Cleanup
Remove dead or damaged foliage in spring before new growth begins. This grass regenerates naturally and doesn't require severe pruning. Autumn or winter cleanup facilitates the emergence of new shoots.
Health and Pests
Purple lovegrass is very resistant to diseases and pests. Problems mainly occur in cases of excessive moisture or waterlogging. Ensure good drainage to maintain a healthy and vigorous plant.
Did you know?
Purple lovegrass is famous for its spectacular inflorescences shaped like pink or purple clouds that sway with the slightest breeze, hence its name 'spectabilis'. This airy dance in late summer makes it a highly prized plant in contemporary gardens for creating movement and lightness, particularly when planted en masse.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Tufted hair grassDeschampsia cespitosa
- Wavy hair-grassAvenella flexuosa
- Purple moor-grassMolinia caerulea
- Reed canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea
- Common quaking grassBriza media
- Creeping soft-grassHolcus mollis
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.