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California Melicgrass
Melica californica
  
About California Melicgrass (Melica californica) 45 Nurseries Carry This Plant Melica californica, known by the common name California Melicgrass, is a species in the Poaceae (Grass) family. It is native to Oregon and California, where it grows in many types of habitats, from mountain forests to open grassland at sea level. In California it is found primarily in the Coast Ranges and Sierra foothills.

California Melicgrass is a perennial grass, generally with rhizomes, producing a dense cluster of stems up to about 4 ft. (1.3 meters) in maximum height. The flower cluster is a narrow series of purple-banded green spikelets. The flower clusters are attractive even after this grass has gone dormant in late summer or fall. In cultivation it performs best in part shade with low to moderate water.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Grasses

Size
Size
1 - 4.3 ft tall
1 ft wide

Form
Form
Upright, Fountain

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Fast, Moderate

Fragrance
Fragrance
None

Flower Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Green, Purple

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Summer

Wildlife Supported
 


 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Very Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / week once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -10° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Medium

Soil Description
Soil Description
Tolerates a variety of soils as long as drainage is good. Tolerates Serpentine Soil. Soil PH: 5.5 - 7.5

Common uses
Common uses
Deer Resistant, Butterfly Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Use as an understory with Oaks (Quercus sp.), evergreens or other trees. Also useful in a meadow-like garden or rock garden with other native grasses, annual wildflowers, herbaceous perennials such as California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), or succulents such as Dudleya spp. or Sedum sp.

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
2, 3, 5, 7*, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Open or rocky hillsides and slopes of southern, central, and northern California, often in chaparral, grasslands, oak woodlands, or forest habitats.

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 6.9" - 102.0", Summer Precipitation: 0.13" - 2.98", Coldest Month: 24.2" - 54.0", Hottest Month: 48.5" - 80.9", Humidity: 0.20" - 29.77", Elevation: -22" - 10807"


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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