California Oatgrass

Danthonia californica Bol. - Grass family

Size

Mature Height: Up to around 24 inches

Plant Type: Graminoid

Root Depth: 16 inches

Growth Form: Multiple Stem

Growth Rate: Moderate

Features

Flower Color: Red

Conspicuous Flowers: No

Bloom Time: Mid Spring, Late Spring

Seasonal Growth: Fall, Winter and Spring

Evergreen: No

Fall Colors: No

Conditions

Shade Tolerance: Intolerant

Clay Soil Tolerance: Yes

Sandy Soil Tolerance: No

Drought Tolerance: Medium

Flood Tolerance: None

Fire Tolerance: High

Salt Tolerance: Low

Ecosystem Interactions

Pollinators: Larval Host (Butterfly); Wind

Larval Species depending on California Oatgrass: Hesperia columbia, Hesperia lindseyi

Native Range

  • CAN:  Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan
  • USA:  Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Regional Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

State-level native status is based on data available through Plants of the World Online. Regional Native Status comes from the USDA Plants Database. For more detailed native status information, please refer to BONAP.