Grasses | Tarweed Native Plants

Carex pansa (California sedge):

Plant Type: Grass

Light: Full sun coast, partial shade inland

Soil: Sandy

Carex pansa is a species of sedge known by the common name sand dune sedge. It is native to coast of western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows in dunes and other sandy habitat. Can be planted over large areas and works well between walkway pavers.

Festuca californica (California fescue):

Plant Type: Grass

Light: Sun to partial shade

Soil: Adaptable

Water: Drought tolerant to occasional

Bloom Season: Spring/Summer

Natural Habitat: Broadly distributed throughout California

Garden Usage: Dry creek beds, rock gardens, edging, groundcover

California fescue is a truly beautiful, mid-sized bunch grass native to California (including San Francisco) & Oregon. It has graceful, fountain-like, blue-green foliage, grows 2’ tall and is evergreen along the coast. The yellow showy flower stalks can rise another 2’ above the foliage. A most excellent groundcover for slopes, it’s easily grown in a variety of soils & grows well in both sun & part shade. Drought tolerant, though it looks better with some summer water. It’s good under oaks and deer resistant!

Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ (Common blue fescue)

Plant Type: Grass

Light: Full sun/part sun

Soil: Average well-drained

Water: Drought tolerant

Bloom Season: Summer

Natural Habitat: Europe

Garden Usage: Clumping lawn, accent

Clumping deep sea blue foliage. Use in perennial borders, mass plantings, containers and edgings as well as in rock gardens or troughs. . Spreads by rhizomes. Cool season grower. Cut foliage to the ground in early spring to maintain neat appearance.

Heliantatrichon sempervirens (Blue oat grass):

Plant Type: Grass

Light: Full sun/part sun

Soil: Average well-drained

Water: Drought tolerant

Bloom Season: Summer

Natural Habitat: Europe

Garden Usage: Clumping lawn, accent

Clumping deep sea blue foliage. Use in perennial borders, mass plantings, containers and edgings as well as in rock gardens or troughs. . Spreads by rhizomes. Cool season grower. Cut foliage to the ground in early spring to maintain neat appearance.

Juncus patens (Common rush):

Plant Type: Evergreen perennial

Light: Sun to partial shade

Soil: Adaptable

Water: Moderate to drought tolerant

Natural Habitat: Marshy places

Garden Usage: Recommended for marshes, pond edges, or wetlands. Good background accent plant. Highly recommended in container.

Common rush prefer wet or moist areas and full sun, but once established, they are remarkably tolerant of drought and shade. They typically form dense clumps of rigid, upright to slightly arching stems from 1 to 2 feet tall. It gradually spreads to form large colonies over time, but its growth rate is primarily dependent upon the amount of water it receives. Rush’s strong vertical growth habit effectively contrasts with the rounded forms of western columbine, alum root, and any of the low-growing species of ceanothus. It makes an excellent container plants, and its flowering stems work well as access in floral arrangements.

Muhlenbergia rigens (Deer grass):

Plant Type: Evergreen perennial

Light: Sun to partial shade

Soil: Adaptable

Water: Moderate to drought tolerant

Natural Habitat: Marshy places

Garden Usage: Recommended for marshes, pond edges, or wetlands. Good background accent plant. Highly recommended in container.

Common rush prefer wet or moist areas and full sun, but once established, they are remarkably tolerant of drought and shade. They typically form dense clumps of rigid, upright to slightly arching stems from 1 to 2 feet tall. It gradually spreads to form large colonies over time, but its growth rate is primarily dependent upon the amount of water it receives. Rush’s strong vertical growth habit effectively contrasts with the rounded forms of western columbine, alum root, and any of the low-growing species of ceanothus. It makes an excellent container plants, and its flowering stems work well as access in floral arrangements.

Sisyrinchium bellum (Blue-eyed grass):

Plant Type: Semi-evergreen to deciduous herbaceous perennial

Light: Sun to partial shade

Soil: Adaptable

Water: Infrequent to moderate

Bloom Season: January - June

Natural Habitat: Widespread in many plant communities below 6000 feet

Garden Usage: Meadows, grassland gardens, mixed borders, containers

Blue-eyed grass belongs to the Iris family. A 1 foot tall perennial with 1 inch blue flowers blooming from Jan.-June. It has small, iris-like leaves. It likes full sun and garden water. It also can become very drought tolerant and is summer dormant, which can be delayed with summer irrigation. Blue-eyed grass is useful in meadow and grassland gardens as well as mixed borders. Good companion plants include seaside daisy and dune sedge. Also does well in containers mixed with annual wildflowers or mass it with purple needlegrass and checker-bloom in an informal border. It grows in sand to clay, coastal bluffs to interior grasslands. Cut plants to the ground to remove dried summer foliage. Disease and pest free. You can also divide this plant easily if it becomes too bulky.

Sisyrinchium californicum (Yellow-eyed grass):

Plant Type: Semi-evergreen to deciduous herbaceous perennial

Light: Sun to partial shade

Soil: Adaptable

Water: Infrequent to moderate

Bloom Season: January - June

Natural Habitat: Widespread in many plant communities below 6000 feet

Garden Usage: Meadows, grassland gardens, mixed borders, containers

Yellow-eyed grass is found in moist coastal areas, growing 6 inches to 2 feet tall. It has chalky green leaves and bright yellow spring flowers. Yellow-eyed grass is an excellent choice for sun or partial shade in wet, poorly drained areas or regularly watered gardens. Nice as edging or next to a water feature or water faucet for maximum bloom. Foliage darkens in fall & should be cut back. Looks great partnered with blue-eyed grass.