Harebell vs Blue Grama Grass - TreeTime.ca

Harebell vs Blue Grama Grass

Campanula rotundifolia

Bouteloua gracilis

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Harebell
Blue Grama Grass

Harebell is a native perennial wildflower known for its bell-shaped, blue-violet flowers. The noddling blooms occur in clusters at the top of slender stems. Blooming in bursts from summer to fall, the flowers attract pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Regular deadheading encourages additional blooms, extending its floral display through the season. Harebell prefers areas with cooler summer climates and does poorly in those that get too hot and humid. It is well suited for native wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Blue Grama is a native perennial bunchgrass recognized for its blue-green blades and unique seed heads. They grow along one side of the stem and are often compared to eyelashes, eyebrows, or mosquito larvae, which inspired its common names, Eyelash Grass and Mosquito Grass. As the seed heads begin to dry in the fall, they curl, further enhancing the plant’s distinctive appearance. The seeds provide food for birds, and the grass serves as a host plant for certain species of skipper butterflies.

As a warm-season grass, Blue Grama has a slow start in spring and does not actively grow until soil temperatures rise. Its deep roots help with erosion control, and the grass is drought-tolerant once established, thriving even in poor or alkaline soils. It is well-suited for soil stabilization, naturalization, restoration projects, or as an ornamental accent in gardens and landscapes.

Harebell Quick Facts

Blue Grama Grass Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium, tillering-medium
Suckering: none


Flowers: bluish-purple; bell-like
Bloom time: summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Other Names: bluebell, bluebell bellflower, bluebell of scotland, common harebell, cuckoos shoe, ladys thimble, scotch bluebell, scottish bluebell, witches thimble
Other Names: blue grama grass, eyelash grass, mosquito grass