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(Hierochloe occidentalis)
Vanilla Grass (Hierochloe occidentalis)
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Garth Harwood
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
Garth Harwood
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Garth Harwood | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Garth Harwood | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2019-05-05T10:17:06-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Hierochloe occidentalis, commonly known as Vanilla Grass or California Sweetgrass, is a rhizomatous perennial grass native to moist meadows, wetlands, and riparian zones in western North America. It is a close relative of the more widely known sweet grass, Hierochloe odorata. Vanilla Grass typically grows to a height of up to 1 meter with leaves reaching up to 30 centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters wide. The plant produces a distinctive inflorescence 7 to 10 centimeters long, with spikelets on short, wavy stalks and each featuring three florets with long, protruding stamens during the flowering season.
Vanilla Grass is valued for its sweet vanilla-like fragrance, especially when dried, making it popular for use in basketry, as a natural air freshener, and in traditional ceremonies. It is often used in restoration projects for its ability to stabilize soil and for its ecological role in supporting wildlife. In cultivation, it prefers part shade to full shade and moist conditions, although it can tolerate a range of soil types with slow to medium drainage. While generally low-maintenance, it can spread aggressively via rhizomes, so care should be taken to manage its growth in garden settings.CC BY-SA 4.0
Vanilla Grass is valued for its sweet vanilla-like fragrance, especially when dried, making it popular for use in basketry, as a natural air freshener, and in traditional ceremonies. It is often used in restoration projects for its ability to stabilize soil and for its ecological role in supporting wildlife. In cultivation, it prefers part shade to full shade and moist conditions, although it can tolerate a range of soil types with slow to medium drainage. While generally low-maintenance, it can spread aggressively via rhizomes, so care should be taken to manage its growth in garden settings.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Grass
- Height: 1-2 feet
- Width: 1-2 feet
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Flower Color: N/A
- Flowering Season: Spring
- Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Part Shade, Full Shade
- Water: Medium
- Drainage: Slow, Medium
Common Uses
Deer Resistant, Fragrant, Low Maintenance
Natural Habitat
Native to moist meadows, wetlands, and riparian zones in western North America
Other Names
Common Names: California Vanilla Grass, California Sweetgrass, Vernal Grass
Scientific Names: , Hierochloe occidentalis, Anthoxanthum occidentale, Hierochloe macrophylla, Torresia macrophylla, Savastana macrophylla,
GBIF Accepted Name: Anthoxanthum occidentale (Buckley) Veldkamp