Purple Lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis
The light purple inflorescence of this bunch grass can be seen right now and through the fall months on road sides and in natural areas. The back half of my home lot was left natural by the builder. I have transplanted many of these beautiful plants, and they take to transplanting very well, covering areas where I could get nothing else to grow. I had an area near the house, by the air conditioner where nothing at all would grow. I really don't know what caused that patch of soil to be barren. When the sand was wet, it formed water drops like a water resistant material, rather than soaking in. I finally planted purple lovegrass in that site, and it is doing very well for two years now.
Purple lovegrass does well in North, Central and South Florida. It is a fast grower and can get to be 1-3 feet tall and 1-3 feet wide. It likes a soil pH of 4.5 - 7.2. It likes sandy or loamy soil. It thrives in well drained to medium drained soil. It was a high drought tolerance. It likes sun to partial shade. It will not do well on the coast, as it has little to no salt tolerance.
This is one of my personal favorites, since I come across it for free in my yard, and it does a great job filling in bare areas. I also love to drive along the roads in the north western, drier areas of our county and see the beautiful patches of purple this time of the year. It can be a little messy in the landscape, as it will throw the flower spikes off when it is done blooming, and they fly around like little tumbleweeds. That little nuisance is well worth it to me. I have seen bunnies and other critters using the purple lovegrass as shelter. It can be purchased at native plant nurseries and at local community nurseries.
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