At least eight perennial and five annual grasses and grasslike plants are native to the land within Chico's city limits.¹ They belong to three plant families: the sedge family, the rush family, and the grass family. As a general rule, rushes need the most water and are the most evergreen, while grasses need the least water and are the least evergreen. Chico's native perennial grasses and grasslike plants are described below.

Sedge Family

Valley Sedge

Valley sedge (Carex barbarae) in a garden in Marysville. Photo by queerbychoice. Valley sedge (also called Santa Barbara sedge) is a three-foot-tall, evergreen sedge that prefers moist areas, spreads aggressively, and tolerates sun or shade. You can see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Fox Sedge

Fox sedge is a three-foot-tall, stress-deciduous sedge that prefers moist areas and sun or partial shade. You can read more about it at USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Rush Family

Bog Rush

Bog rush is a four- to six-foot-tall, evergreen rush that prefers moist areas and full sun. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Grass Family

Blue Wild Rye

Blue wild rye is a three-and-a-half-foot-tall, stress-deciduous grass that prefers shade. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

California Oniongrass

California melic (Melica californica) in a garden in Marysville. Photo by queerbychoice. California oniongrass is a tree- to four-foot-tall, stress-deciduous grass that prefers sun or partial shade and moderate to good drainage. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Deergrass

Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens) in the California State University Sacramento arboretum. Photo by queerbychoice. Deergrass is a three- to five-foot-tall, evergreen grass that prefers sun or partial shade and moderate to good drainage. It can be seen growing next to Highway 99 through much of Chico. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

One-Sided Bluegrass

One-sided bluegrass is a one-and-a-half-foot-tall, deciduous grass that prefers sun or partial shade and moderate to good drainage. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Delicate Bluegrass

Delicate bluegrass is a grass that prefers sun or partial shade. You can see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Footnotes

1. CalFlora.org