Here is an interesting and elegant grass native to coniferous forests. Broad, bright green, sweetly scented blades grow a foot or more tall. Flowering culms rise another 6 inches or so above the foliage with tight panicles of spikelets. The leaves offer a sweet, vanilla fragrance when dried. Excellent for woodland gardens, compatible with many redwood forest plants. Best with some summer water, but is drought tolerant near the coast. A larval host for the Western branded skipper butterfly. Deer resistant.
Hierochloe (Anthoxanthum) occidentalis
vanilla grass
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Plant Types
Size
- Average Height: 1 - 2 ft
- Average Width: 2 - 3 ft
Exposures
Water Requirements
Habitat Values
Site Conditions
Tolerances
Special Uses
Our monthly inventory was updated on May 1, 2026. To confirm current availability, please call ahead. We do not ship plants.
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