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Grass Like

Eragrostis trichodes

sand love grass

An airy, delicate perennial grass forming slowly-creeping clumps, to 1.2m high, of shiny, flat green leaves. Flower stems bear airy, arching heads of shiny, bright green, red-tinted flowers from midsummer to early autumn

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Tufted
Genus: Eragrostis can be annual or perennial grasses with linear leaves and dense branched flowering panicles in summer and autumn
Name status: Correct
Plant range: N. America

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a sunny position in well-drained soil, ideal for open woodland and planting in drifts

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Coastal
Prairie planting
Wildlife gardens
Wildflower meadow
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back old stems to the ground in early spring before growth resumes

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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