A small, tufted grass with fine, blue-gray blades that form a neat, round clump. It brings a cool color and fine texture to small spaces, but it is a cool-season grass, so it needs a sheltered spot to get through a Phoenix summer.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub, groundcover and succulent schedule in our Landscape Care guide. It does not tolerate wet or poorly drained soil, which causes the clumps to rot from the center.
Pruning
Shear the clumps back by about a third in early spring so fresh blue growth can come in. Some people also trim off the flower stalks.
Heat
It prefers cooler weather and tends to decline in a long, hot summer. Clumps often brown out or thin after a few years; dividing and replanting keeps a planting looking full.
How our designers use it
Small spaces and pots
Its compact size suits containers, narrow beds and courtyard pockets.
Cool color contrast
Our designers like its blue tone beside blue-gray agaves and aloes, or against dark stone and steel.
Shaded edges
It holds up best along beds that get afternoon shade from a wall or tree.
Good to know
Around the pool
Soft and thornless with very little litter, so it is easy near water. Reflected heat off a sunny deck is hard on it; a shaded spot works better.
Lifespan
Expect to replace or divide clumps every few years. It is not a long-term plant in the low desert.
