Eragrostis

( er - uh - GROS - tis )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of perennial grasses is commonly called Love Grass, and needs full sun to partial shade and little to moderate water to perform well. Take care when planting these grasses in your landscape, as they will reseed freely and can be invasive. There are about 250 species in this genus, though only a select few are cultivated for home gardens due to their aggressive nature. They form graceful clumps of foliage and floral plumes seem to float above the leaves. Love Grass is perfect for textural accents, or as bank or groundcovers.

Eragrostis Species and Varietals

The genus Eragrostis is a member of the plant family Poaceae and includes between 350-400 distinct species of grasses. The genus name is derived from the Greek words ἔρως (érōs), meaning 'love', and ἄγρωστις (ágrōstis), meaning 'grass'. The best growing zones for Eragrostis grasses grow well in USDA hardiness zones 3-10, but this varies somewhat depending on the species cultivated. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Eragrostis curvula (Weeping Love Grass, African Love Grass, Boer Lovegrass, Curved Lovegrass, Catalina Lovegrass)
Best in USDA hardiness zones 5-10 or Sunset growing zones 2-24, this species is native to southern Africa and India. It forms a billowing mass of thin, dark green leaves reaching 3 feet tall and wide at maturity. Summertime flowers are lavender-grey and add a foot to the plant's height. Foliage gains bronze hues in cool weather. Great for massed plantings. Can tolerate any type of soil, and can be used to control erosion on hillsides. This species is considered highly invasive in the United States, Australia, South America, and Japan.

Eragrostis elliottii (Elliott's Love Grass)
This species is best in USDA hardiness zones 6-10 or Sunset growing zones 8, 9 and 14-24 and is a native plant of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the southeastern United States. It forms clumps of blue-grey leaves 3 feet tall and wide, and turns purple in fall. Flower plumes are airy and tan, and bloom spring through autumn.

Eragrostis spectabilis (Purple Love Grass)
Native from Maine to Minnesota, south to Florida, Arizona and Mexico, this species can grow in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 or Sunset growing zones 1-24, and forms a compact clump of light green leaves. It reaches 1.5 feet tall and wide, and is topped with wispy clouds of purple plumes in late summertime. Leaves turn red-purple in fall. These grasses combine well with plants that have grey foliage.

Eragrostis trichodes (Sand Love Grass)
Best in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 or Sunset growing zones 1-24, this species is native from Illinois to Colorado and Texas, and has bright green foliage. Sand Love Grass reaches 1.5-2 feet tall and turns bronze-red in fall. Flowers are bronze to purple and appear on stout stems about 4 feet tall in late summer through winter.

Caring for eragrostis

Install grasses 12-18 inches apart for best coverage and airflow. Plant them in full sun; ideally, they like to receive between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day for best growth rate and color. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these grasses are considered drought-tolerant, and can get by on little to no supplemental water. Avoid overwatering these grasses.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. In early springtime, cut the foliage down to about 3-4 inches above the ground to encourage healthy, vibrant new growth. These plants will re-seed freely in the garden; to discourage this, make sure to remove flower spikes before they set and release seed. Volunteer seedlings are easily pulled from areas where they are unwanted, and can be transplanted elsewhere or composted. Eragrostis grasses are short-lived perennials that can last for between 3 and 5 years in the landscape before needing to be replaced.

Propagation

Eragrostis plants are best propagated via division. These plants will also re-seed freely in the landscape, providing seedlings that can be dug up and transplanted elsewhere. To propagate your Love Grass by division of existing tufts, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Eragrostis by Division
To propagate via division, you will need a clean shovel, clean pruning saw (optional), extra pots if you are not going to immediately plant your divisions in the ground, and well-draining soil to fill the pots. To propagate your Love Grass by division, follow the instructions below:

In early fall or early springtime, identify the area of plants you're going to divide. Start by loosening the soil around the plant with your shovel, working your way inward to avoid causing damage to the bulbs. Once you've gotten your clump out of the ground, run water over it or simply shake it to remove excess dirt. Then, lay it out on its side.
Separate the clump into multiple pieces, each with a healthy root system and adequate above-ground growth.
Prepare the planting area, whether it is a container or bed in the garden, and then plant the divisions. Afterwards, resume regular care.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Eragrostis grasses can be susceptible to developing issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape: