Melica uniflora
Wood Melick
Europe, North Africa, and western Asia
Overview
Melica uniflora is a perennial grass growing 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) tall, forming loose, open tufts that spread slowly by thin underground rhizomes. The flat leaf blades are bright green, 0.1-0.3 inch (3-7 mm) wide and 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) long, with a small pointed projection opposite the leaf-sheath junction. Flowering stems are slender and arching, carrying a sparse, one-sided panicle of widely spaced spikelets from late spring. Each spikelet is 0.2-0.3 inch (5-7 mm) long, nodding, brownish-purple, and holds a single fertile floret topped by a club-shaped knob of sterile florets. The seed heads ripen to pale brown through summer. The plant grows in scattered, airy stands rather than dense turf, and the thin foliage gives light ground cover. It tolerates deep shade and dies back in winter, with fresh blades emerging in early spring. Growth is slow, and established patches expand only a few inches a year.
Native Range
Native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, from the British Isles east to the Caucasus. Grows in deciduous woodland, shaded hedge banks, and rocky slopes, often on well-drained, base-rich soils in dappled to deep shade.Suggested Uses
Grown in woodland gardens, shaded borders, and naturalistic plantings as a ground-covering grass beneath trees and shrubs. Suited to dry shade where many ornamental grasses thin out. Spaced 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) apart, it knits into open drifts over several seasons.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread8" - 1'4"
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
bright greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Tolerates up to 4 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight