Purple love grass is a small, perennial, well-behaved ornamental grass in the Poaceae (grass family). This warm-season grass is native to central and eastern North America and is found naturally in sandy fields, along roadsides, and in woodlands. It spreads slowly by rhizomes. Plant it in open areas well-drained slightly dry soil in the full sun. It is tolerant of hot dry conditions. Its airy pink seed heads float gracefully above the dense clumping foliage. Plant in small groups or mass plan in a border, meadow, or native plant garden. It can be mowed a few times a year if it is being used as a lawn alternative that is exposed to light foot traffic. It will not handle heavy foot traffic. In the winter it will go dormant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids, leaf spot, and spittlebugs are occasional pest problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 2 in. | Width: 0 ft. 10 in. - 1 ft. 4 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Acicular
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Dull green hairy on both sides flat, up to 10" long 3/8" wide
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Good Cut; Good Dried; Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower detail
Messy, loose appearance inflorescence is a panicle. Appears in late summer to fall (August-October)then appears as reddish-purple clouds and fades to soft brown.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Pink; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
Caryopsis dark brown .8 mm long as the seeds mature they dry and fall off the plant and are blown around by the wind. Fruits are available September-November and are pink and purple in color.