FNPS Plant Database

Eragrostis spectabilis

purple lovegrass
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Janet Bowers, Heartland Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

purple lovegrass

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Eragrostis spectabilis

Family:

Poaceae (Gramineae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

grass

Size:

2-4 ft tall by 2-3 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

NA

Fruit Color:

purple

Phenology:

Winter dormant. Forms dense clumps. Blooms in fall.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Makes a good border plant that becomes a pink haze in the fall.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Seed

Propagation:

Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative.

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–¡

Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Short very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

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

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 ).

Birds and other wildlife consume seed. 

Native Habitats:

Flatwoods, sandhills, lake shores, 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.



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