Native Habitat:
Dry grasslands, open slopes, and sandy or rocky soils.
 
Bloom Time:
June – August
 
Growth Habit & Mature Size:
Perennial bunchgrass, 1–2 feet tall, forming dense tufts of narrow, gray-green leaves. Produces delicate, nodding seed heads with awned spikelets.
 
Light & Soil Requirements:
Full sun; thrives in well-drained sandy, loamy, or rocky soils. Highly drought-tolerant once established and suited to xeric landscapes.
 
Willamette Valley Native Companion Plants:
Festuca idahoensis, Camassia quamash, Achillea millefolium, Eriophyllum lanatum, Lupinus micranthus.
 
Urban Garden Function:
Adds texture, vertical interest, and low-maintenance structure to urban meadows, xeric gardens, and naturalized landscapes. Ideal for erosion control, layered native plantings, and drought-tolerant urban designs.
 
Wildlife Supported:
Seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals. Dense foliage provides shelter for insects and ground-dwelling invertebrates.
 
Historical Use:
Seeds were historically used by Indigenous peoples as a food source. Valued ornamentally today for its drought tolerance, ecological function, and habitat support in native and restoration plantings.