Grass · Poaceae family
purple moor grass
Molinia caerulea
In short a 10-second read
Purple moor grass (grass) grows to 0.4–1.2 m tall and 0.3–0.6 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. Hardy to −32 °C.
× spread 0.3–0.6 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. Hardy to −32 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
average to moist · watering: moderate
Soil: humus-rich, loamy, sandy
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 2–5 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Pruning
cut back to the ground (March)
Planting
container plant: March–May, September–October
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −32 °C
- Dies back in winter and regrows in spring
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
Columbine
0.45–0.9 m
greater masterwort
0.6–0.9 m
threadleaf coreopsis
0.6–0.9 mReady-made Studio combinations that include purple moor grass
Siberian iris, burnet and astilbe with moor grass — for a spot where…
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
Does purple moor grass tolerate shade?
It tolerates part shade (3–6 hours of sun), but not full shade.
How much space does purple moor grass need?
At maturity 0.3–0.6 m wide and 0.4–1.2 m tall; recommended spacing 50 cm.
Does purple moor grass survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
Where the data comes from
We compared the data in 7 expert sources. Last checked 28 September 2026.
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