Sonoran Desert Grasses

Deer Grass

Muhlenbergia rigens

Purple Three-awn

Aristida purpurea

Robust perennial grass growing along washes in canyons. Also widely used as an ornamental in xeriscape plantings in Sonoran Desert. Detailed Description

Perennial or long-lived annual with feathery, purple-hued inflorescences. Common along desert washes and roadsides. Also commonly used in native Sonoran Desert landscaping.      Detailed Description

Big Galeta

Pleuraphis rigida

Little-seed Muhly

Muhlenbergia microsperma

Shrubby, perennial grass of sand dune areas or rocky slopes. Fairly common in the Sonoran Desert.    Detailed Description

Perennial grass growing after late spring or summer rains. Small, widely spaced spikelets. Rocky slopes. Detailed Description

Bush Muhly

Muhlenbergia porteri

Sideoats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Beautiful, shrubby perennial grass found on rocky slopes in the Sonoran Desert. Open panicle inflorescence with burgandy spikelets.    Detailed Description

Warm season perennial. Short spikelets arranged in two long rows along one side of stem. Widespread mostly at the higher elevations of the Sonoran Desert.   Detailed Description

Rothrock Grama

Bouteloua rothrockii

Plains Bristlegrass

Setaria macrostachya

Warm season perennial lasting one or a few seasons. Four to seven branches of feathery spikelets arranged on one side of the spike. Fairly common at the higher elevations of the Sonoran Desert.   Detailed Description

Warm season perennial found mostly at upper elevations in the Sonoran Desert on rocky slopes or at roadsides.   Detailed Description

Buffel Grass

Pennisetum ciliare

Arizona Cottontop

Digitaria californica

Perennial and highly invasive weed in the Sonoran Desert. Maroon colored spikes; can bloom almost anytime of year. Grows on rocky slopes and at roadsides and may appear shrubby.      Detailed Description

Perennial grass blooming after summer rains begin at roadsides and on rocky slopes. Fairly common with conspicuous inflorescences.   Detailed Description

Salt Grass

Distichlis spicata

Giant Reed

Arundo donax

Course perennial grass found on sites with moist, saline soil. Blades closely paired along stem. Tough rhizomes spread grass vegetatively. Detailed Description

Very large perennial grass resembling bamboo. An invasive weed appearing along riparian habitats in the Sonoran Desert. Large plume inflorescence.   Detailed Description

Lehmann's Lovegrass

Eragrostis lehmanniana

Common Reed

Phragmites australis

Bunch grass with open panicles of numerous small spikelets. Stems often geniculate (bent). Upper Sonoran Desert, chaparral and grassland. Non-native. Detailed Description

Large perennial grass that usually grows right at water's edge. Seen along Colorado River. Large inflorescence with many spikelets. Detailed Description