Sweetgrass vs Nodding Onion

Sweetgrass is a cool-season perennial grass best known for its sweet, vanilla-like fragrance. The scent comes from coumarin in the leaves, which is pleasant to humans but has a bitter taste that makes the plant less appealing to deer and other herbivores. As a cool-season grass, Sweetgrass grows most vigorously in spring and fall, slowing or even going dormant during the heat of summer.

It spreads quickly through creeping rhizomes and can be difficult to remove once established, so it is best planted in areas where its spread will not cause problems. Due to its deep, vigorous root system and preference for moist soils, Sweetgrass is especially useful for erosion control, soil stabilization, riparian plantings, and naturalization projects.

Note: Sweetgrass was formerly classified under the scientific name Hierochloe odorata and its subspecies. The subspecies found in Canada are currently considered two distinct species: Anthoxanthum hirtum, which is native across Canada, and Anthoxanthum nitens, which is native to Eastern Canada. Because these two species are alike and share many overlapping common names, they are often considered as only one species.

Nodding Onion is a native perennial wildflower known for its nodding clusters of flowers that range in color from white to pink to purple. The lightly scented blooms provide pollen and nectar for pollinators, especially bees, which can collect while hanging upside down, a capability most other insects lack.

The narrow, grass-like leaves of the Nodding Onion can be used as a seasoning in cooked dishes, though bulbs and raw leaves should not be eaten in large quantities. All parts of the plant have an onion-like aroma when bruised, which helps deter deer and rabbits. They can self-seed readily, so removing spent blooms helps manage their spread. Tolerant of a range of soils, including alkaline, it is well-suited for a variety of plantings, including pollinator gardens and naturalization projects.

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