Native California Grasses

California has an impressive ecological and biological diversity. The land comprises coastal lowlands, huge alluvial valleys, forested mountain ranges, deserts, etc.

Moreover, its unique topography, soil, altitude, and ecology offer various kinds of habitats and support various plants and species.

Since the landscapes are renowned for their remarkable diversity, native grasses play an important role in the ecosystems. These grasses aid in biodiversity, soil health, and general ecological equilibrium from coastal regions to alpine terrains.

In this detailed post, we look into its benefits, type, and other important information related to California's native grasses.

Benefits of Native California Grasses

California native grasses, according to the California Native Plant Society | CNPS, have various appealing benefits for both landscape experts and their customers when creating and sustaining a creative and efficient garden.

C.A. native plants provide attractive economic benefits such as:

1. Water conservation
2. Easy to maintain
3. Reduced pesticide use
4. Tolerant to summer dryness
5. Support for wildlife habitat
6. Significant carbon sequestration
7. Beautiful foliage for all seasons

A Distinct and Vital Role of California Native Grasses

California native grasses offer a distinctive and crucial function in providing cover, nesting resources, and extra food sources for advantageous, garden-friendly species.

They also contribute to the aesthetic benefits of contrast, flexible structural form, and fascinating leaf variation. Most importantly, they are unparalleled in their beautiful, flowing movement across the seasons.

In California, there are over 300 species of natural grasses, and they are a vital part of a wide range of environments, from cold, damp woods to hot, arid deserts.

Native grasses often appear in clusters in their natural setting, with empty spaces between them, and at times, wildflowers bloom in the spaces between. And when grasses become a little unkempt while coming to seed, this is precisely what seed-eaters, as well as butterflies, want because the seeds supply food for sustenance and survival.

Most native ornamental grasses like full light and are drought-tolerant once planted. On the other hand, during dry seasons, many species look better with the occasional splash of water.

Native grasses' strong roots anchor the soil, promote water absorption, as well as recycle nutrients. Whenever native grasses are grown in urban areas, their distinct characteristics can even aid in filtering polluted runoff.

Native rangeland grasses especially excel at carbon sequestration, which helps to minimize air pollution and lessen the consequences of climate change.

Low Upkeep with Year-Round Beauty

California native grasses can make a thoughtful and appealing addition to almost any Bay Area environment. By adhering to some of the low-maintenance tips below, you will save water while minimizing maintenance work in the garden.

Installation Care and Upkeep

1. Planting

Although the majority of California natives can be grown year-round, it is ideal for planting them in the autumn and early wintertime. This allows them to establish a strong root system and store energy for fresh growth and magnificent floral displays in the summer and springtime.

2. Watering

Numerous native plants can endure with limited water once they have grown and settled (after 2-5 years). Some native flora can look healthy for most of the year while just being hydrated once a month.

3. Soil

Most native plants thrive in the absence of fertilizer. Extra nutrients stimulate plant growth, sometimes beyond what is naturally possible, and can reduce plant life. Mulch helps to decrease evaporation, inhibit weed germination, and offer a suitable habitat for the growth of beneficial biological microbes.

California Native Sod Selection

The grasses that were natural to California before it was colonized are used for choosing California native sod. This means that all of the grasses of the sod category were present in nature before 1800 A.D. This category of grasses will be better adapted to your local conditions and will use 50% less water than a regular variety of grass.

Traditional Sod Vs. Native Sod

Native sod or grass is often tougher on the outside and more heat resistant. These Natives have been evaluated at 50% water ability, allowing for the highest level of drought tolerance that nature has to provide. Native grasses are all Perennials, which means they will live all year; however, some may reduce development during the colder months.

Read on to explore the list of the top California native grasses.

Cool Season versus Warm Season Grasses

Cool-weather grasses begin new growth with autumn rains and continue to grow throughout the rainy, cold winter months. They bloom in the springtime or early summer, then later in the summertime, they set seed and go partially or completely dormant, developing a gorgeous golden or tawny hue and displaying their dried flower stalks. However, with additional water during summertime, certain summer-dormant grasses, particularly those from coastal ecosystems with pleasant summers and winters, stay green longer.

The grasses of the warm season go dormant during the colder months. Their vegetative growth occurs primarily during summertime, when they are green in color, and they bloom from mid-to-late summers. These grasses are typically found in California's interiors and arid regions, and they thrive in summer heat. Warm-season grasses rarely grow efficiently in the winter, no matter where they are cultivated or how they are hydrated.

Top Native California Grasses

Grasses are usually the foundation of a successful garden design. Whether grown as a single species or in a swath, grasses will draw your attention with their different textured blades.

They are also classified as "warm-season" or "cool-season" grasses. This relates to their active growth period, which will affect their upkeep schedule. Grasses prefer to be pruned annually at the start of their active growth period.

Here are some of the top native California grasses;

1. Red Fescue

Red Fescue earns its name from the maroon tufts that occur on top of its deep green blades. It is classified as a cool-season grass, which means it grows most readily in autumn and winter and blooms in the spring. It then goes dormant for most of the year, becoming golden yellow in summertime till the cool season arrives.

Red fescue is an excellent lawn substitute since it propagates and spreads similarly to regular grass. Moreover, this native grass can grow as much as 3 feet tall. However, you can keep it at a shorter height if you choose. This grass grows well in full or partial sunlight. It prefers average moisture but may also tolerate drought.

2. California Fescue

Another cool-season grass is California fescue. This is a grass that can grow as much as 4 feet tall, but it grows lower than Red Fescue! During summertime, it's fragile; long leaves appear either dark or blue-green in hue, as well as grow in beautiful, flowing shapes.

It is resistant to drought, making it ideal for hot California weather. This plant thrives in both bright and partial sun. It looks great as a border in a yard, rock landscape or along the edge of meadows.

3. Tufted Hairgrass

Tufted Hairgrass is another cold-weather grass that develops fine stems with blooms just a few feet over its thick, green bush. Subsequently, in the summertime, the green grass becomes tall and golden. Tufted Hairgrass grows well in deep soils near ponds and streams. It grows strongly in full or partial light and requires water all summer. Therefore, it is not drought resilient. It looks fantastic with ferns, wildflowers, as well as various shrubs and bushes.

4. Deergrass

Deergrass is a warm climate grass, which means it stays dormant in wintertime and thrives in the summertime, flowering in the middle to late summers. This grass blooms densely and can reach heights of several feet, including the flower stalks. It grows well in a wide range of soil kinds, in both damp and dry circumstances, and full sunlight or light shade.

Deergrass is an excellent plant for the garden since it both suppresses weeds and attracts butterflies. Its large root network can even aid in preventing erosion alongside a riverbank. Once set up, this sort of plant is both flooding and drought-resistant.

5. Foothill Needlegrass

Foothill Needlegrass is a kind of cold-season bunchgrass with lush green foliage and feather-like gold tops, which is drought-resistant. It looks excellent all year and grows tall and wide. This plant is easy to maintain and looks wonderful in any landscape.

This kind of grass also aids in erosion prevention and invites birds to the garden. Plant Foothill Needlegrass can easily grow in partially shaded areas with well-drained soil. It's generally placed beneath an oak tree, but you can put it anywhere you want.

6. Purple Needlegrass

Purple Needlegrass was declared the official grass of California in 2004. The purple as well as green leafy shoots can be seen across the state. It is a cold-season grass that grows in California's woods, valleys, hills, and coastlines. It may thrive in clay and serpentine soils as well. While it is not resilient to drought, it is simple to cultivate in your own garden. It should be planted in full or partial light and watered once a month.

7. Leafy Reed Grass

Leafy Reed Grass is cultivated in the form of a bush with lengthy hanging blue leaves and fluffy flowers. Since it is common in coastal areas, it demands good drainage. The cool-season grasses need frequent watering in addition to some shade. Grow it in the rock gardens with other flowers and foliage or beside a stream! Just don't clip the leaves back too much. Leafy Reed Grass is easy to maintain and does not tolerate extensive trimming.

8. California Melic Grass

California Melic Grass resembles wheat in appearance. In wintertime, it is a vibrant green, and in summertime, it becomes golden brown. It is a cold-climate grass that forms a thick bush with blooms that rise a few feet higher than the rest of the vegetation. The species is drought-resistant and may grow in a variety of soil kinds as long as they have sufficient drainage.

It looks fantastic regardless of whether it gets watered or not in the summer and may be trimmed or cut in the fall. Plant it in bright sun or a little shade for a meadowy effect in your yard. This grass also has a dense root system, which aids in erosion prevention.

9. Giant Wild Rye (Elymus condensatus)

This grass can thrive in Zones 6-10. The silvery blue rhizomatous foliage with large leaf blades stands out in the landscape. It can tolerate a wide range of conditions, although it looks best in full sun with frequent irrigation. The giant wild rye grows to be 3 to 4 feet tall and very upright. These grasses require trimming in the fall since they will start growing new blades in the winter.

10. Purple Three-awn (Aristida purpurea)

Purple three-awn produces eye-catching seed heads that are bright and fluffy. These grasses thrive in Zones 5-10. This Southern California native appears throughout North America. When planted in mass, it provides a prairie effect with a vivid purple seed head. Purple three-awn only grows to be around 18 inches tall. Thus, it stands out more whenever grown in groups.

11. Berkeley Sedge (Carex tumulicola)

Berkeley sedge's young leaf is a bright lime green, which fades to a light golden. This kind of grass thrives in Zones 4-9. This clumped evergreen grass is ideal for meadow scaping. It grows to approximately 12 inches tall and embraces both sun and shade, in addition to regular hydration and drought (though regular irrigation improves its appearance). Its bright green color provides lush vegetation to a California garden.

12. Alkali Sacaton (Sporobolus airoides)

This kind of grass is an attractive, easy-to-grow warm-season grass that is offered in nurseries. Alkali Sacaton grows into a thick green or gray-green mass that can grow up to 3 feet tall and broad. Flowers appear airy and pink, and they generate a lot of seeds for birds, but they don't reseed well in gardens. It embraces a wide range of soil conditions, and its name alludes to its capacity to grow in alkaline soils.

Though drought resilient, it looks best using some water, particularly in dry inland areas. Above is the image of Airy flower stems of alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides) in an environment installed by East Bay Wilds.

13. Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha)

It is a kind of perennial bunch-like grasses that grow by small underground rhizomes as well as has an upright blooming panicle that is ornamental. Junegrass is found from sea level up to the topmost mountains in prairies, woodland glades, etc. Junegrass blooms to a height of 10 to 16 inches. It embraces watering well but eventually needs a late summer/early fall rest. Junegrass has small seeds and grows slowly from seed. Junegrass is best grown as a garden meadow by plugs.

14. Pacific Dune Sedge(Carex pansa)

This sedge's common name accurately characterizes its environment but not its unparalleled meadow-forming traits. Pacific dune sedge grows in isolated patches in central California's mesic back dunes. It is a tough creeping grass that grows to 8 to 10 inches in height and requires no mowing. Dune sedge adapts well to garden conditions. It thrives well in all types of soils with appropriate rainfall, stays green all year, flourishes in sunny locations, and is heat resistant. It sprouts slowly from seed but swiftly expands whenever planted as plugs 6 - 8 inches away.

15. Foothill Sedge (C. tumulicola)

Foothill Sedge, also referred to as C. tumulicola, is a big dark green clump sedge that can reach a height of 20 inches and spreads wider. When mowed at a height of 4 to 6 inches on a regular basis, it grows back and produces fresh shoots from the base. Based on how frequently and closely it is mowed, this results in the formation of a resilient carpet.

Its seed, like that of the Pacific Dune Sedge, is reluctant to sprout; however, plugs 8 - 12 inches away can readily and efficiently develop a stand.

16. Slender Sedge (C. praegracilis)

This kind of grass is most likely a tall and closely associated sibling of the Pacific dune sedge. It blooms up to 16 inches tall and spreads at a somewhat slow pace in mesic inland valley habitats. Slender sedge, just like Pacific Dune Sedge, is best grown with plugs 6 to 8 inches away.

17. California Oatgrass (Danthonia californica)

Oatgrass was originally the dominant prairie bunchgrass of the central and northwestern prairies. It has been a habitat for elk herds chased by bears and people. Overgrazing by sheep, grazing exclusion, and invasive annual and perennial grass species have all contributed to its extinction. The best stands thrive with mild livestock grazing or constant mowing.

Oatgrass is the most common grass along walked paths on coastal terraces that are otherwise swamped by exotic grasses. Oatgrass is among the few perennial bunchgrasses with long-lasting seed, and with mowing, weeding, and clearing, an area can be quickly revived from a dormant seed bank. This kind of grass requires time and patience. Danthonia grows slowly but persistently.

It flourishes in rich, loamy, and clay soils and is particularly suited to the home garden setting, staying green all year if cut back and given sufficient moisture. Planting plugs 8 to 10 inches apart will result in an excellent oatgrass "turf."

18. Dune Bent Grass, Thingrass, SanDiego, Bent Grass (Agrostis pallens)

Dune Bent Grass is a creeping bentgrass native to the United States that spreads via underground rhizomes. 'Thingrass' is a valuable coastal ecotype that inhabits California's coastal grasslands from southern California to Sonoma County, especially on east and north-faced slopes, wooded meadows, and shady glades. Plants often grow to a height of 10 to 12 inches.

1. A. pallens, which is closely related to red fescue and junegrass is a wonderful constituent of the native meadow landscape. In the sun or filtered shade, it develops a rich natural meadow as a single species. A strong creeping species native to the Berkeley Hills is marketed as 'thingrass' or 'San Diego bent grass.' A. pallens seedling strength is mild, and a decent stand can be grown without the usage of plugs.

19. Orange Sedge (Carex testacea)

Carex testacea is not prevalent in California. However, it is one of the most hardy of the New Zealand Hair Sedges. It grows in beautiful mounds of slender, bronzy-orange leaves that shimmer with motion when put in sunshine. It looks great in both rock gardens and containers. It also prefers moderate sun and regular watering.

20. Mosquito Grass (Bouteloua gracilis)

Bouteloua gracilis is a low-growing plant native to much of the USA. It also blooms well in California's hot, dry climate. It's semi-evergreen, and as the temperature cools, it stops growing. It's also an excellent choice for replacing thirsty grass.

Lawn Substitutes

There are various native grasses that can be utilized in place of non-native grasses in lawns. Native grasses have the benefit of requiring less water, having long roots that absorb carbon, and providing a home for native wildlife, whereas typical lawn grasses do not. Among the grasses that can be utilized as lawn alternatives are:

• Red fescue (Festuca rubra 'Molate')- this species thrives in full sun near the seaside and partial shade in hot climates.
• California oatgrass (Danthonia californica)- Flourishes in the sun to mild shade with minimal water after it is planted, but it will be healthier with some water.

When Should You Plant?

If you wish to begin growing native bunchgrasses from seed, start with ordinary four-inch containers, followed by transplanting them into the garden in autumn, winter, or springtime when the weather is still cold and damp. If you own potted plants from regional nurseries, it is best to plant them in autumn or at the start of winter. Water freshly grown grasses throughout the dry season (or seasons) for a minimum of the first year to support in their growth.

Fire Considerations

With the changing climate and greater fire awareness, several individuals have concerns about dry plants in summer as well as in autumn; that can be the case for summer-dormant native grasses. The majority of native bunchgrasses can be trimmed to a couple of inches during their inactive season, and this must be acceptable to most regional fire departments.

Additionally, "raking" or "combing" bunchgrasses utilizing a big or small handled claw-like tool to eliminate dead plant matter (thatch) can restart their development while rendering them more fire resistant. Some summer-inactive grass may remain green longer with supplementary water, like a deep soaking once every month. Native plant nurseries must be able to suggest acceptable fire-safe plants and their maintenance based on your specific needs.

What Makes Native California Grasses a Perfect Addition To Garden Design?

The most basic answer to this is that native grasses are lovely! They adapt to hot, dry summers and are a wonderful low- or no-water alternative for gardening. As a garden designer, one can utilize grasses as a canvas to create stunning flower drifts.

On bigger lands, native meadow restoration can be a cost-effective and acceptable undergrowth for dry shade beneath oaks. California is known for its expansive meadows wrapped over rolling landforms.

As per California Native Grasslands Association, native grasslands constitute some of the most essential yet most endangered ecosystems in the U.S. The "oak savannah" is the classic California environment, but due to growth and development, inefficient grazing, fire prevention, and exotic species, few pure grasslands remain today. Grasslands provide ecological benefits such as erosion control, water refuel biodiversity, ecosystems, and carbon capture.

According to the "shifting baselines" concept, humans accept ecosystem degradation from one generation to the next as the initial baseline is forgotten. So, how can we rebuild an ideal environment if we have no idea what one looks like?

Gardeners who take care of these plants in their own gardens, possibly as a "museum" of endangered plants, can contribute to the CNGA's aim of promoting, preserving, and restoring the diversity of California's native grasses as well as grassland environments. The adaptive capacity of grasslands will be critical for adjusting to changing climates.

What Are the Challenges of Adopting Native Grasses in The Garden?

Management of weeds is the most challenging issue when attempting to grow natural grasses. European annual grasses outcompete the native species with great success. Even before these invasive species came, the indigenous peoples carried out controlled fires to preserve open grasslands for grazing. Fire, grazing, as well as meadows all evolved simultaneously. Today, several ranches are experiencing good success restoring native grasslands by utilizing cows and scheduling to graze for weed removal. In a tiny yard/garden, a diligent gardener can readily manage weeds simply by hand-pulling.

Pulling out weeds on a regular basis can train you to recognize a weed from a natural sprout by identifying the small changes in shades of green or texture.

Another problem is the dormant phase, which may appear "dead" to gardeners as opposed to dormant. Irrigation can help keep the grass healthier and green. One approach is to sow dryer grasses among evergreen plants. Most gardeners, however, choose to grow plants from different Mediterranean climates, including the classics - lavender, rosemary, and sage. They also include gorgeous summer annuals like zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, and poppies for keeping their summer garden lively.

While understanding the ecological narrative of native grasslands, as a gardener, you can employ grasses in the landscape just like any other kind of vegetation, placing them to draw attention to the unique characteristics of each species.

What Are the Water Requirements of Native California Grasses?

The fact that California native grasses are adaptable to dry summers means that once they grow, you won't have to irrigate them much. California is known as the "Golden State" because of the hue of its arid grasslands. As a result, in the home garden, you can use extra water to keep these grasses green. You can, however, accept the seasons and respect the plant's adaptations.

Another key ecological advantage of having long roots to carry plants through dry spells is carbon sequestration. Unlike burning trees, which emit massive amounts of carbon into the sky, burning grasslands store the majority of their biomass in deeply buried roots and may regenerate swiftly.