Purple Needlegrass is a native plant to California.  Native means to have been created in that place. For example, weeds are not native because when the Mayflower came to America the livestock they brought had seeds in their fur or hide, which dropped when they reached land and are currently taking over are land. The definition from a dictionary is this ¨belonging to the place where person is born, indigenous.¨ Humans are native to earth, we did not evacuate from Mars! The plants that are not-native are called invasive( in-va-siv ) plants. So, Purple Needlegrass was created in California. 

 

 

Purple Needlegrass is a kind of grass called a bunchgrass. A bunchgrass will grow in clumps, and they are drought-tolerant. A drought-tolerant plant is a plant that survives easily in droughts. There are a couple ways for a plant to be drought-tolerant. A captus will store water in the heat of a desert. Bunchgrass will have roots that tap deep into the ground. That enable them to get water, even in a time of dryness. A bunchgrass stalk will grow very strong and will grow tall.  Needlegrass will start to sprout from a seed in late fall and winter. At first, it's growth is slow. When Spring comes, it's growth accelerates, and it starts to grow much faster. By June, the seeds are ready. Seeds will find places to reproduce by catching onto animals. The seeds are barbed and stick onto fabric and fur easily.  Eventually, the seeds will fall off and reproduce. 

​

Purple Needlgrass has no medical uses. However, it is edible. You can eat the roots, seeds, stem, and the leaves. You do not have to cook it to eat it. 

 

Purple Needlegrass does not like disturbance was it has been planted. However, Purple Needlegrass can grow in many places, such as on hedge hog holes. In fact, Purple Needlegrass seems to grow fairly well on the side of the road, and on many other disturbances. It grows better with disturbances than on flat ground! There is no name for a plant that can grow anywhere. 
 

​