Mediterranean Lovegrass: A Delicate Annual Grass for Challenging Spots
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance grass that can handle tough growing conditions, Mediterranean lovegrass (Eragrostis barrelieri) might catch your eye. This delicate annual grass has made itself quite at home across much of the United States, though it’s originally from far across the pond.
What Is Mediterranean Lovegrass?
Mediterranean lovegrass is a charming little annual grass that belongs to the lovegrass family. True to its name, this plant hails from the Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa, but it’s become a familiar sight in many American landscapes. As an annual, it completes its entire life cycle in just one growing season, producing seeds before the year is out.
This graminoid (that’s botanist-speak for grass-like plant) has a fine, delicate texture that adds a soft, wispy quality wherever it grows. It’s the kind of plant that might go unnoticed until you start paying attention to the subtle beauty of grasses.
Where You’ll Find It Growing
Mediterranean lovegrass has established itself across a impressive range of states, from Alabama to Utah, and even in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You’ll find it growing in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
As a non-native species, Mediterranean lovegrass reproduces on its own in the wild without any help from gardeners. It’s what botanists call naturalized – basically, it’s made itself at home and isn’t going anywhere.
Should You Plant Mediterranean Lovegrass?
Here’s where things get interesting. Mediterranean lovegrass isn’t considered invasive or problematic, but it’s also not native to North America. This puts it in a sort of gardening gray area. Here are some reasons you might or might not want to include it in your landscape:
Reasons You Might Like It:
- Extremely drought tolerant once established
- Thrives in poor soils where other plants struggle
- Requires virtually no maintenance
- Adds fine texture and movement to the garden
- Self-seeding annual means it comes back on its own
- Good for filling in disturbed or difficult areas
Reasons You Might Skip It:
- As a non-native, it doesn’t provide the same ecological benefits as native grasses
- Can self-seed aggressively in some conditions
- Limited wildlife value compared to native alternatives
- Annual nature means it dies back completely each year
Growing Mediterranean Lovegrass Successfully
If you decide to give Mediterranean lovegrass a try, you’ll find it’s refreshingly easy to grow. This grass is practically bulletproof when it comes to challenging conditions.
Ideal Growing Conditions:
- Sunlight: Full sun is best, though it tolerates some light shade
- Soil: Adaptable to various soil types, including poor, rocky, or sandy soils
- Water: Drought tolerant once established; actually prefers drier conditions
- Climate: Adaptable to a wide range of climates as an annual
Planting and Care Tips:
- Sow seeds directly in spring after the last frost
- Barely cover seeds with soil – they need light to germinate
- Water lightly until seedlings are established
- Once growing, reduce watering – this grass prefers to stay on the dry side
- No fertilizer needed; it actually prefers lean soils
- Allow plants to set seed if you want them to return next year
Native Alternatives to Consider
While Mediterranean lovegrass isn’t problematic, you might want to consider native grass alternatives that provide similar benefits while supporting local ecosystems:
- Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) – beautiful native bunch grass
- Buffalo grass (Poaceae dactyloides) – drought-tolerant native lawn alternative
- Purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea) – delicate native grass with purple-tinged seed heads
- Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) – attractive native with distinctive seed heads
The Bottom Line
Mediterranean lovegrass is like that reliable friend who’s easy to get along with but doesn’t bring much excitement to the party. It’s perfectly fine to grow if you need something tough and low-maintenance for challenging spots, but it won’t contribute much to local wildlife or pollinators. If you’re torn between this and a native alternative, consider going native – your local birds and beneficial insects will thank you for it.
Whether you choose Mediterranean lovegrass or a native alternative, the most important thing is that you’re gardening and creating green spaces. Every plant has its place, and sometimes that place is filling a tough spot where nothing else wants to grow.
