DESERT NEEDLEGRASS

Achnatherum speciosum

Grass Family (Poaceae)

With its shining stalks of feathery fruits, desert needlegrass is one of the most ornamental of our native grasses, found in drier parts of the southern two-thirds of our region. Though in nature it is almost always found among the rocks, in a garden setting it thrives in a variety of soil types and is easy to grow. It forms medium-sized clumps of rather stiff, erect foliage somewhat like Indian ricegrass, a close relative, but its flowering spikes are narrow and erect rather than spreading and spangly. Desert needlegrass is extremely drought-hardy and is an excellent choice for low water use landscapes. This plant does have a tendency to self-sow, especially on less dry sites, but the seedlings are easily pulled. It combines well with a variety of desert perennials, including Utah and Palmer penstemons, showy sandwort, gooseberryleaf globemallow, and silver and James buckwheats. It looks its best used as a specimen plant, so that its symmetrical growth form is evident.