Molinia caerulea Edith Dudszus - Purple Moor-grass

Molinia caerulea 'Edith Dudszus', also known as Blue Moor Grass or Purple Moor Grass, is a grass with great ornamental value. It forms a tight clump of fine foliage adorned with brown spikelets carried by long black stems. It is particularly graceful when the autumn wind tousles its blonde hair. Native to acidic and windswept heathlands, it embodies both charm and solidity. Thriving in sunny locations, it adapts to dry or waterlogged soils, even those with limestone, and provides structure to flower beds in winter, when frost takes hold of its swollen base and its dark flowering.

Native to Northern Europe, Southwest and North Asia, Siberia, Turkey, and the Caucasus, Molinia caerulea belongs to the Poaceae family. It owes its species name to the blue reflections that characterise its foliage.

'Edith Dudszus' displays particularly interesting flowering. This perennial forms a tall clump that is somewhat stiff but graceful, reaching a height of 45cm (18in) for the foliage and 90cm (35in) when in bloom, with a spread of 30cm (12in). It bears thin, flat leaves, which are bluish-green in summer, turning blonde in autumn. The blonde leaves remain throughout winter. In late summer, tall and sturdy stems rise above the foliage, carrying panicles of dark purple-brown, feathery spikelets that remain interesting in winter. At maturity, the stems are almost black, and the spikelets dry well before winter. Vegetation starts late in spring.

The 'Edith Dudszus' moor grass is a sculptural 'herb', with harmonious yet distinct architecture. Its presence is strong, and its charm is subtle and wild. For a beautiful effect in a natural garden, plant it en masse, as a small hedge, in a contemporary or rustic garden. This grass can tolerate occasional drought, allowing it to be featured in rock gardens alongside cotton lavenders and wormwoods. It will also find its place not far from water points, where it will contribute to stabilising banks, alongside other grasses, druses, gunneras, or sedges.