Poa sierrae
Sierra blue grass
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Poa sierrae (Sierra blue grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by purple axillary buds and dioecious habit.
Sierra blue grass is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Foothills and northern and central Sierra Nevada in shady moist slopes, often on mossy rocks and in forest canyons at elevations of 350 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate, sparse grass inflorescences with narrowly ovate panicles 5 to 15 centimeters long. Growing with slender rhizomatous stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall, it develops distinctive purple, scaly axillary buds. Its soft, flat leaf blades are 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide, with ligules 3 to 6 millimeters long that are acute to acuminate and minutely scabrous. The grass develops unisexual flowers with lemmas 4 to 7 millimeters long, which are glabrous to sparsely hairy along the base, keel, and marginal veins.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 17 sympatric species; distinguished by purple axillary buds and dioecious habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shady moist slopes, often on mossy rocks, in canyons, forest
Elevation: 350-1500 m
Bloom period
Poa sierrae blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Festuca: Poa has boat-shaped, keeled leaf tips; Festuca leaves are flat or rolled but never keeled like a ship's prow.; vs Melica: Poa has fine, narrow leaves with boat-shaped tips; Melica has wider, flat leaves without the distinctive keel.; vs Nassella: Poa leaves have boat-shaped tips you can feel; Nassella leaves roll inward and lack the keel.; vs Koeleria: Poa has cobwebby hairs at seed base and keeled leaf tips; Koeleria lacks both features.; vs Holcus: Poa has boat-shaped leaf tips; Holcus leaves are flat and soft-hairy without any keel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Poa sierrae native to California?
Yes. Poa sierrae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Poa sierrae bloom?
Poa sierrae blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Poa sierrae belong to?
Poa sierrae is in the Poaceae family, genus Poa.
Is Poa sierrae rare or endangered?
Poa sierrae carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S3.
What habitat does Poa sierrae grow in?
Poa sierrae grows in Shady moist slopes, often on mossy rocks, in canyons, forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.