Foothill Needlegrass

Foothill Needlegrass (Stipa lepida) is a perennial grass native to Western US states (such as California) that can thrive in USDA Zones 7–10. Reaching a mature height of 1.5–3 feet with a slender tufted bunching growth habit, it features fine, narrow green leaf blades and produces thin, arching seed panicles with long, bent awns. It thrives in dry, rocky foothill slopes, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral margins and is ideal for dryland slope stabilization, native grassland restoration, and watershed protection.