Eragrostis spectabilis Great Plains

Eragrostis spectabilis 'Great Plains' is a more compact form of a beautiful grass from the North American Great Plains, sometimes called love grass. Despite its modest appearance in spring, this small grass with a slightly unruly habit and rough foliage of wild grass transforms at the end of summer. Its humble vegetation disappears in a stunning mist of purplish-pink spikelets, shimmering, which seems somewhat excessive. It is a hardy, undemanding, frugal plant, perfectly adapted to Spartan conditions. Attractive and wild, it readily self-seeds in the most unexpected places in the garden. This plant suits all styles of gardens, whether romantic, natural, dry, or contemporary. Just place it in the sun, in well-drained soil.

Eragrostis spectabilis is a perennial plant of the Poaceae family, native to North America. It is found from Maine to South Dakota, south to Florida, through Texas, Arizona, and Mexico. It is most commonly found on sandy, rocky soil or along roadsides. The 'Great Plains' form is more compact. This plant with its short rhizome, forms a slightly disorganised clump, 30 cm (12in) tall for the foliage, and about 50 cm (20in) wide. Its leaves, deciduous in winter, are bright green, flat, ciliate on the edges, pointed at the ends, 20 cm (8in) long and very narrow. Stiff and remaining in place until late in the season, they turn bronze-purple around October, sometimes even in September. From the centre of the clump, branched and airy inflorescences emerge in August, bearing spikelets in shades of pink-violet to purple. The flowers almost double the volume of the plant, easily reaching a height of 50 cm (20in). The spikes, mature in October, turn brown, the colour of the seeds that will be dispersed by the wind throughout the garden.

Eragrostis spectabilis Great Plains is a low-maintenance and almost maintenance-free grass, its incredible diffuse spikes and tenacious foliage make it both highly decorative and dynamic at the end of summer. It can be used to adorn the crevices between stones in a rockery, as well as in bordering pathways or raised beds, and also to stabilize the soil of a slope or embankment. Take advantage of its late flowering to display it near a path, paired with the blooms of tall sedums (Sedum Matrona, Sedum Jose Obergine), the starry asters (Aster laevis Calliope, Aster turbinellus, Aster cordifolius), or the bright magenta flowers of shrubby salvias. It pairs well with Caryopteris and Stipa arundinacea, autumn daisies, Japanese anemones, and perennial chrysanthemums. Its inflorescences are very beautiful in dried or fresh bouquets.