I had this grass some years ago and lost it. It was given to me as 'Lady Fingers', but I've certainly never found any info under that name and I've never come across it elsewhere. Now someone I know has it and is looking for an ID also. Anyone know what this lovely is? TIA

Could it be some sort of Cyperus?

My vision is off a bit but this is the one I was thinking it reminded me of:

Nope, thank you, but not cyperus alternifolius......

Your best bet is probably getting a match or near match of the seed heads. They're pretty fuzzy in the pic.

Maybe an Eleusine species?

Thanks.....this is a shot of the seed heads. In checking on eleusine, I don't think it is, but I could be wrong....doesn't fit the images I found.

LOL, Nope, now that I see that closeup picture ... definitely not Cyperus alternifolius.

I was really grasping at straws with the Eleusine suggestion. I've never seen such a stem with so many "fingers".

Unfortunately, I don't know grasses well at all, and I don't think I can help anymore...

lol..you know grasses better than I ....I didn't know eleusine so I learned something new there. The only grasses that I'm familiar with are the ones I'm currently growing. I was quite surprised while reading through someone's blog, that she has the grass and is looking for an ID. As mentioned earlier, I had the grass at one time and never learned what it was, but had no pics of it...so when she posted pics of it, I finally had an opportunity to try to track it down.

If I had seen only the seed heads, I would have been inclined to look at Miscanthus species, but I don't think there are any that has foliage similar to that.

I could be wrong, though....

I had checked out Miscanthus, look at the photo at the bottom of Miscanthus oligostachyus which is very close .. maybe a hybrid of that?

http://luirig.altervista.org/f...

Miscanthus oligostachyus ‘Eileen Quinn’
Dwarf Feather Grass
A dwarf Miscanthus with bronze feathery flower heads which are produced well clear of the leaves during summer and autumn. It is best when grown in drifts rather than as individual specimens. Sun 60cm x 50cm.

http://lambley.com.au/plant/mi...

Possible, though after checking through lots of images of miscanthus oligostachyus, I've not seen anything the same. The distinguishing characteristics to me are the silky 'sparkler' effect of the tassels, the blades seem shorter and wider than miscanthus (though there are so many and I only grow a few).
I do think the overall look of the grass is maybe more suitable as a specimen rather than mass planting.

But!..I'm certainly learning more about all the grasses and I'll work my way through the poaceae database.

Thank you!

I'll work my way through the poaceae database

I'm glad it's you and not me, that list is very long!

lol....well, OTH...I'm thinking that if this other person really wants to know, perhaps she can work through it.....

Why not get the other person to contact her local Co-operative extension service...bet they can find and answer for y'all.


http://cesandiego.ucdavis.edu/

Thanks...I'll try that, though I don't believe it's a native Ca grass. Maybe someone through their master gardener group will know, though. I keep hoping if I get it out there, someone will pop up and say, "Oh, yeah...I have that, it's blah blah blah...." lol....

This other person having it is only the second time I've seen it in 15 years....so I don't think it's widely known....OTH, maybe it's really common somewhere....

Ya never know...a horticulture prof friend of mine was visiting and I showed him a lovely little volunteer tree...I thought it was pretty and unusual....he said it was unusual because most people go out of their way to eradicate it as it is horribly invasive and spreads by seeds and underground runners....I cut it down and have been systematically killing off the suckers from the roots and sprouting seeds for the past 3 years....much like the lovely but invasive LimeLight Artemesia....

lol.....

Aha!!! In case anyone else is curious, the grass has been identified. Denise originally got hers at Western Hills nursery here in Northern California. The former owner was contacted and we learn that the 'unknown' grass is chloris virgata....'Feather Windmill Grass'. Another mystery solved. I feel so much better...lol..

Glad to see the mystery solved!