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Eragrostis elliottii 'Tallahassee Sunset' (Elliott's Lovegrass) - The species is a warm season grass, native to southeastern U.S (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina). It forms nice clumps of powder-blue foliage that rise to about 18 inches tall with clumps that spread outward slowly with short rhizomes. The 2-3-foot-tall flowers stalks rise in summer starting off a pale blue-gray and aging to a buff-colored haze that lasts into fall and winter. Plant in full sun to light shade in well-drained soil. Good in dry, sandy soil but can tolerate a fair amount of irrigation.
Plant in full to part sun in well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally. Probably hardy to 0° F and useful in USDA Zone 7 and above. it is a nice attractive plant issued as a specimen plant or massed in a border planting with contrasting colored and textured foliage. Can be used in a natural lawn with only one mowing required in late winter to early spring but is not tolerant of foot traffic.
This is a selection of Elliott's Lovegrass was made in Tallahassee Florida and was selected for its particularly attractive blue-gray colored foliage. We first received this plant labeled as Eragrostis elliottii from John Greenlee in 2001 who, in turn, received it from Bill and Nancy Bissett, native plant specialists who have a nursery in Davenport, Florida called The Native Inc. The differences between this plant and other plants labeled Eragrostis elliotti in the nursery trade became quickly apparent. To keep these very different plants separate John Greenlee applied the name 'Tallahassee Skies' to this plant, which later morphed into 'Tallahassee Sunset' when it became part of the "John Greenlee Grass Collection" marketed by EuroAmerican Propagators. Subsequently is has been determined that much of the other Eragrostis elliottii sold in the United States is an introduced non-native plant, likely Eragrostis chloromelas (synonymous with E. curvula). This South African species was introduced by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and/or the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for forage and stabilization purposes sometime in the early 1930's and has become naturalized in the southeastern states. We grew this nice grass from 2007 until 2022
The information about Eragrostis elliottii 'Tallahassee Sunset' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.
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