Purple Needlegrass (Stipa pulchra), California’s state grass, is a tough perennial bunchgrass with deep roots and high ecological value. Forming graceful bunches 1–3 feet tall, it produces slender purple-tinged flowering stalks in spring. Highly drought-tolerant and long-lived, it survives hot dry summers by going dormant and regreens with fall rains. It adapts to many soils—including heavy clays and serpentine—and its extensive roots help prevent erosion. In native prairies, it provides forage in winter/spring and critical wildlife habitat. A cornerstone of California restoration projects, it’s ideal for revegetating hillsides and creating authentic low-water landscapes.
This Purple needlegrass seed was originally collected from Riverside county and grown at Las Flores Farm in Santa Barbara county.