Low-water Ornamental Deer Grass

By Martina Trotta
Conservation Analyst, Santa Margarita Water District

One of the best ways to cut back on water use (and reduce your water bill!) is to replace a portion of water-guzzling grass with drought-tolerant plants that require very little water and provide beauty and variety to your yard. Ornamental grasses, like deer grass, are a great option for replacing a section of your regular lawn.

This bunch grass grows to three feet high and wide, but the slender flower stalks can grow up to two feet taller than the rest of the plant, reaching five feet. During the summer, brown to purple spikes of flowers top the long stems. Native American tribes in central and southern California traditionally used the tall deer grass stalks to make woven baskets.

The large round grass mounds with thin flower-topped stalks shooting up from their centers make a striking garden accent or an impressive feature when grown together in masses. Consider using them along a border or walkway or to add texture on a slope.

Deer grass will tolerate either full sun or partial shade, will grow in poor soil and is drought tolerant, making it a very easy plant to care for. It is important, however, that deer grass be planted in well drained soil to thrive. Watering the plant once or twice a month is optimal.

For a complete database of California-friendly plants, log onto www.bewaterwise.com.

Do you have a plant that you would like featured as the California-friendly Plant of the Week? If so, please send ideas to California_friendly@smwd.com.

Free Water Conservation Class
Planting California-friendly plants in your yard is a great start, but do you want to learn how to save even more water in your home? The Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) is offering a free home water audit class where customers can work with an SMWD water conservation expert to analyze their homes’ specific water use and needs based on historic consumption, the number of people in the home and irrigation needs. The class will show how water is used and how it can be conserved specific to attendees’ individual homes.

The class will be held August 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the District headquarters in Las Flores. To register, call 949/459-6645 or e-mail martinat@smwd.com. Visit www.smwd.com to learn more about the Home Gardeners Workshop series.

Deer Grass
Muhlenbergia rigens
Season: Summer
Size: 3 feet tall and wide
Color: Green and brown
Water: Drought tolerant
Sun: Half

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