California native grasslands are made up of sedges and perennial bunchgrasses. When once in existence and widely spread throughout California, they used to include annual and perennial wildflowers and bulbs.
Plants
Common Name: Meadow Sedge
Latin Name: Carex panza
Native Habitat: Marshes, meadows, streambanks in costal scrub throughout California
Soil: Prefer moisture retentive
Water: Infrequent to regular
Light: Sun to shade
Height X Width: 12 inches tall
Leaves or Stems: Dark green foliage with floppy habit
This sedge spreads by runners and makes a good lawn substitute as it is able to withstand foot traffic over time.
Common Name: Deer Grass
Latin Name: Muhlenbergia rigens
Native Habitat: Canyons, chaparral, woodlands between 2,500 and 7,000 feet in southern California costal ranges, and in Mojave and Chuhuahuan deserts
Soil: Low organic content, well drained, adaptable
Water: Drought tolerant to moderate
Light: Sun
Height X Width: Maximum: 5 feet x 6 feet. Usual: 3 feet x 4 feet.
Leaves or Stems: Blue-green, khaki when dormant if too dry or too cold
Tightly packed shoots sprout gray-green leaves which bend and spill over, spike-like flowering stems remain stiff and vertical for years.
Common Name: Foothill Stipa
Latin Name: Nassella lepida
Native Habitat: Chaparral, coastal sagescrub, dry slopes in open grassland, oak woodlands below 4,500 feet, northern to Baja California
Soil: Adaptable
Water: Drought tolerant to tolerable
Light: Sun to part shade
Height X Width: 2 feet x 3 feet
Leaves or Stems: Extremely narrow, pale green, dormant in summer
Fine basal leafage remains light green after annual vegetation has dried. This appealing grass grows from 1-2 feet tall with graceful drooping particles. It withstands shading and makes rapid growth after a fire.