Eragrostis spectabilis (Purple Love Grass) Unity Grown

Commonly called purple love grass, Eragrostis spectabilis is a warm season perennial grass noted for its airy pink to purple flower and seed heads in the late summer and fall. Native to most of eastern North America, purple lovegrass is commonly found in sandy fields, on roadsides, and in open woodland areas; often referred to as a type of bunchgrass, lovegrass spreads slowly by rhizomes and self-seeding, meaning that over time, it will grow to fill empty areas in rounded natural mounds. Showy and low growing, purple lovegrass makes a stunning statement in any late season garden with blooms turning a soft, reddish-purple color, creating an airy cloud that looks even better when planted in masses.

Typically growing to a modest size of 1-2' tall and wide, purple love grass can be used in lawns and groundcover plantings, but may be best used in borders and mixed gardens to add in fine-textured foliage and smidge of color. Since it tends to be fairly hardy, and tolerant of medium-to-dry soils, drought, and rocky soils, lovegrass is a great alternative for areas where it is difficult to grow turf, especially in sandy or gravel-filled soils with moderate foot traffic. Eragrostis spectabilis is also commonly used in low-maintenance, sustainable landscapes, rock gardens, container plantings, and even as an accent in pollinator gardens since it is a valuable host plant for the Zabulon Skipper butterfly (Poanes zabulon).