FNPS Plant Database

Eragrostis elliottii

Elliott's lovegrass
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Elliott's lovegrass

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Eragrostis elliottii

Family:

Poaceae (Gramineae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

grass

Size:

1-3 ft tall by 1-2 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

NA

Fruit Color:

green

Phenology:

Winter dormant. Forms dense clumps. Blooms in fall.

Noted For:

Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden. Mass plantings.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed, division.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡

Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



Don't know your zone? Click here to search by zip code.

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for zabulon skipper ( Poanes zabulon ).

Small birds and other wildlife consume the seed.

Native Habitats:

Flatwoods, sandhill, wet prairie, cutthroat seeps, dry hammocks, disturbed sites.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

Request an update