Native Grass Spotlight: Purple Top

Purple top is a bunching grass native to the Eastern United States, mostly south of New England due to winter hardiness issues.  It is easy to spot with its distinctive purple seed heads, though Johnson Grass (a very invasive grass) also has a seed head that can have a purplish tint.

Purple top is also called Grease Grass because its seed heads used to be crushed for their oil which would be used as grease for wagons.  Apparently it’s also a good forage grass for animals to eat.

http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_trfl2.pdf