Purple Lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis | Starter Plug
IMPORTANT PICKUP INFORMATION
THIS ITEM IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP ON APRIL 25, 2026, FROM 10 AM TO 12PM AT GREENVALE VINEYARDS, PORTSMOUTH, RHODE ISLAND.
There is no delivery option for your seedling pre-order. You must pick up your plant yourself on the seedling sale date. Any seedlings not picked up will be considered a donation to ERICD's educational farm program.
What You'll Receive:
One (1) Purple Lovegrass starter plug - a young, healthy plant with an established root system, ready to create ethereal clouds of rose-purple flowers in your driest, hottest spots.
Purple Lovegrass creates pure magic in late summer when airy clouds of rose-purple flower panicles seem to float above the fine blue-green foliage. This compact warm-season native grass is one of the few plants that actually thrives in the driest, hottest spots—perfect for those challenging areas where nothing else grows! When backlit by sun, the delicate seed heads glow with ethereal beauty. Come fall, the foliage transforms to gorgeous shades of orange and copper.
Outstanding Features:
Ethereal Beauty: Creates a stunning hazy purple layer above fine-textured foliage when in bloom. The airy inflorescence catches light beautifully, especially at sunrise and sunset.
Extreme Drought Tolerance: Thrives in hot, dry, sandy, or gravelly soils where few other plants survive. Perfect for hellstrips, berms, and harsh sites.
Well-Behaved Spreader: Spreads moderately by short rhizomes and self-seeding but isn't aggressive. Easily controlled by cutting seed heads before dispersal.
Long Season Interest: Attractive blue-green foliage from late spring through summer, rose-purple blooms mid-to-late summer, bronzy copper fall color, interesting dried seed heads.
Low Growing: At just 18-24 inches tall, it's perfect for the front of borders or as a textural groundcover that won't block views.
Plant Specifications:
Light: Full sun (6-8 hours minimum)
Soil: Sandy, gravelly, or well-drained soils; tolerates infertile poor soils
Moisture: Dry to medium; extremely drought tolerant once established
Height: 1-2 feet tall (foliage), 2-2.5 feet in bloom; 1-2 feet spread
Bloom Time: July to September (mid-summer through fall)
Hardiness: Zones 5-9 (excellent for New England)
Growing Tips:
Plant starter plugs 18-24 inches apart in spring. Purple Lovegrass is a warm-season grass that emerges late (May) and begins active growth when the soil warms. Performs best in full sun with excellent drainage—avoid rich, moist soils where it will be outcompeted. No fertilization needed. It can be used as a lawn alternative in low-traffic areas; mow a few times after flowering to maintain a lower height. Cut back dead foliage in early spring before new growth emerges. Perfect for coastal Rhode Island's sandy soils and dry inland sites throughout New England.