California Three-Awn
Aristida californica

Family: Poaceae

Tufted perennial, looks like an annual, with wiry stems, reaches about a foot and a half tall. The inflorescence contains hard spikelets with a long beak at the tip and awns up to 2” long. Can flower almost any time of year.

Full to part sun, best on irrigation but will reseed. Hardy at least into the single digits °F. Will go dormant if not watered in summer. Plants reseed in the landscape.

Aristida is from the Latin arista for awn, while californica means of or from California. This cosmopolitan genus comprises 306 species.

Found in dry soils, especially gravelly or sandy soils from 2,000-5,000 ft. in Arizona, California, Baja California, and Sonora.

Photo by James Bailey, iNaturalist
Aristida californica on SEINET