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Purple Lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis

Purple Love Grass is a resilient species that does well in sunny, sandy sites. It can thrive in disturbed sites and grows actively in summer. It adds a beautiful shade of purple to a landscape.

USDA symbol: ERSP

General Information

Plant TypeGrass
Height1 to 3 feet
Light ExposureSun
Soil MoistureDry
Bloom ColorRed
Purple Lovegrass (Purple Lovegrass<div><em class="small">Eragrostis spectabilis</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Wildflowers (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceModerate
General Resilience5
Salt ToleranceNone
Stress ToleranceDrought Tolerant

Pollinator Value: Low

Bloom MonthsApril to May

Project Planning

Project TypeRain Garden
Coefficient of Conservatism4
Herbivore SensitivityMedium
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadSlow
Soil StabilizationShallow
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAnoka, Benton, Blue Earth, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Clay, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Le Sueur, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Norman, Pine, Polk, Ramsey, Redwood, Sherburne, Stearns, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, Wright
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands