Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis

Family: Poaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Tufted hairgrass is a California native perennial found in northern coastal bioregions in coastal marshes and meadows at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces pale green to silvery-gray flowers in open panicles with drooping lower branches. Growing in loose, glaucous clumps with spreading stems, it forms delicate grass clusters typically 30 to 60 centimeters tall. Its leaves are generally blue-green, forming dense tufts with fine, narrow blades that create a soft, mounded appearance. The plant's distinctive spikelets feature delicate awns that extend beyond the lemma, giving the grass a feathery, intricate texture.

Habitat: Coastal marshes and meadows

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: < 800 m

Bioregions: NCo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.