Carried by 0 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
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Melica spectabilis is a species of grass known by the common names purple oniongrass and showy oniongrass. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California to the Rocky Mountains, where it grows in moist meadows, forests, and other mountainous habitat. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California to the Rocky Mountains, where it grows in moist meadows, forests, and other mountainous habitat. Melica spectabilis is a perennial grass which varies in maximum height from under 10 centimetres (3. 9 in) to nearly a meter, growing from rhizomes and stalked, onionlike corms. The inflorescence is a narrow series of spikelets which are green with evenly spaced purple bands.
Grass
4 - 30 in Tall
Upright
Moderate
Purple, Green
Spring
Prefers loamy or clay soils. Grows poorly in sandy soils.
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 1 likely
Rural Skipper
Ochlodes agricola