Mountain Hairgrass
Vahlodea atropurpurea
- Native to:
- Aleutian Is., Argentina, Canada, Chile, Finland, Greenland, Japan, Kuril Is., Labrador, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Taiwan, United States
Matt Lavin (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Vahlodea
- Species:
- Vahlodea atropurpurea
- USDA Symbol:
- VAAT2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, green
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- small mammals, birds
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, well-drained, organic-rich soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers cool, alpine environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: 5 month outdoor stratification or a minimum of 12 day cold, moist stratification
Establishment: D. atropurpurea occurs from Alaska south to California, and in the Rocky Mountains to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, and across Canada to Newfoundland and New Hampshire, Eurasia, also in South America. It is common in moist meadows and open forests in subalpine and alpine habitats.
Source: npn.rngr.net