Description

Foothill needles grass flourishes in California’s coastal mountains from the SF Bay Area south into Mexico. It also grows on the northern Channel Islands and sparsely in the central Sierra Nevada. It seems to appreciate the hot days and cool nights of the SF Bay Area where it often is the dominant grass along our hiking trails. Foothill needle grass grows as a tidy bunch grass, active in the winter and early spring before summer dormancy. Like other needle grasses its extensive root system effectively excludes other plants, even other needle grass. A natural stand eventually consists of older plants separated by one to two feet. This growth habit has the benefit of excluding weeds of all description. The “trick” is to establish the needle grass since young plants may be overwhelmed by aggressive annuals. Like many native grasses that actively grow in the winter, foothill needle grass will go dormant in the summer with no green foliage. This will not be prevented with additional water. Prune off old growth to make way for the next year’s foliage.