Purple Lovegrass is a cover crop — grown to build and protect the soil rather than for a harvest of its own. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 9 and shrugs off dry spells.
Zones
5-9
pH Range
5.5-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Purple Lovegrass on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether purple lovegrass actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score purple lovegrass against your land's real conditions.
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See Purple Lovegrass
What Purple Lovegrass is
Purple Lovegrass grows as a perennial and reaches around two feet at maturity. It blooms green in spring.
How to grow Purple Lovegrass
Purple Lovegrass grows in USDA zones 5 through 9. Purple Lovegrass does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 90 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
5-9
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
42.8°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
2 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
90+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant purple lovegrass in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Purple Lovegrass prefers pH 5.5 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Turn it in before it seeds
Cut purple lovegrass down or turn it into the soil before it sets seed, while the growth is still green — that's when it returns the most to the ground.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — purple lovegrass isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Purple Lovegrass isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data — pair it with high-value bloomers nearby to feed bees.
Where Purple Lovegrass thrives
Purple Lovegrass is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 9. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 5–9·Where Purple Lovegrass growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Purple Lovegrass can grow in these states:
See if Purple Lovegrass will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether purple lovegrass actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Purple Lovegrass in my zone?
Purple Lovegrass grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Purple Lovegrass?
Most growers plant purple lovegrass after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 90-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Purple Lovegrass need?
Purple Lovegrass needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Purple Lovegrass need?
Purple Lovegrass prefers soil pH 5.5 to 8, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Purple Lovegrass attract pollinators?
Purple Lovegrass isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data. Pairing it with high-value bloomers nearby keeps bees and butterflies fed.
Is Purple Lovegrass safe for pets?
Purple Lovegrass is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.