Melica uniflora f. albida

Melica uniflora f. albida, also known as the single-flowered melic grass, is a delightful white-flowered form of a small perennial grass widely found in our clear woodlands. Although not commonly planted in gardens, it is exquisitely delicate and valuable for landscaping shady areas, including near trees or bushes that dry out the soil in summer. It forms a flexible, slightly trailing clump of fresh green, wide leaves from which emerge arched stems in spring, bearing slender panicles with very white spikelets, evoking the delicacy of confetti.

Melica uniflora is a graceful herbaceous perennial plant with slender rhizomes belonging to the large Poaceae family. This herb, native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, is perfectly adapted to most climates and is completely hardy. It is often found in woodlands or growing between shaded rocks. 

This 'albida' form distinguishes itself from the common species by the very white colouration of its spikelets and seeds. From its stump, the plant forms a clump of flexible, wide, flat, rough, trailing, light green leaves, reaching a maximum height of 60cm (24in) when in flower, 40cm (16in) for the foliage. Flowering occurs from May to July depending on the climate. The fine spikes of this melic grass are quite loose, erect or inclined. They bear scattered spikelets with a single fertile flower, carried by thin pedicels. The flowers are white. This "white confetti" flowering, carried by graceful and moving stems just above the foliage, is incredibly charming. After wind pollination, the flowers give way to seeds lightly tinted with brown-purple. This variety easily self-sows in light soils.

Hardy and undemanding regarding soil quality, the single-flowered melic grass grows in any good garden soil, preferably in partial shade. It prefers moist but not excessively wet soil. It will also tolerate dry soil in summer. It works wonders on the edge of a grove, along a path, or planted at the base of a shrub hedge. It can be planted with Omphalodes verna, heucheras, lungworts, silver candlestick, alpine barrenwort, Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost', or tall foxgloves. It also has its place in a large perennial border where it will lighten the flowering, or in a not too dry flower meadow mixed with easy annuals such as cornflowers, cosmos, centaureas, candytuft, and daisies.