Canby'S Bluegrass

Year-round

Poa secunda is a small, tough rangeland bunchgrass, not a low-desert lawn substitute, so plan on it as an accent grass for a cooler spot in a Palm Springs-area yard rather than open ground.

• This is a short, clumping bunchgrass, not a spreading turf grass, so it stays in tidy little tufts instead of filling in like a lawn.
• It's a cool-season grass, meaning it grows fastest in mild temperatures and goes summer dormant, turning tan and pausing growth, once desert heat sets in.
• Give it well drained soil. It does not like heavy clay or ground that stays soggy.
• It's drought resistant once established, but it's naturally a higher, cooler rangeland plant, so in the Palm Springs area it will do best somewhere it gets a break from full all day low desert sun, like light afternoon shade or a slightly elevated spot.
• Pet toxicity for this exact species is not specifically listed on the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant database, so we can't confirm it's toxic or non-toxic to dogs or cats. Use normal caution and call your vet if a pet eats a large amount.
• It's mainly grown for erosion control and habitat restoration work, so it can be hard to find at local nurseries as a garden plant.

Fall

Fall is when this grass wakes back up. Cooler temperatures and the first rains trigger fresh green growth.

• Leaves start greening up again as soon as fall rains begin, sometimes with just a light shower.
• Fall is the better season to plant new starts or divide existing clumps, since the grass is heading into its active months instead of shutting down.
• Resume light regular watering once temperatures cool, tapering off as natural rain picks up so you're not overwatering.
• Clear out dead thatch left over from summer dormancy so new growth has room to come through.

Clearing out dried summer thatch as new green growth comes in keeps the planting looking cared for instead of leftover from summer.

Winter

Winter is mild growing weather for this grass in the Palm Springs area, and it needs very little from you.

• It keeps growing through the cooler, wetter winter months as long as it's getting some rain.
• Skip extra watering after a good rain. This grass is built to get by on light winter moisture.
• Frost is rarely a concern in the low desert around Palm Springs, but if a cold snap is forecast, established clumps of this rangeland grass handle cold far better than heat.
• Leave the tufts alone. Winter isn't a pruning season for this grass, it's simply resting and regrowing at its own pace.

This grass keeps a naturally low, tidy shape through winter with little upkeep needed, which helps a front yard planting look neat without extra work.

Spring

Spring is this grass's busy season. It sends up flower stalks and sets seed quickly before desert heat arrives.

• Watch for thin flower stalks rising above the leaf tufts, with seed heads ripening by late spring.
• Give it light water if rain has been sparse. This grass finishes its whole growth and seed cycle before summer drought hits, so spring is when the roots need the most support.
• Skip the fertilizer. Rangeland bunchgrasses like this one are built for lean, unimproved soil.
• Once seed stalks dry out and drop their seed, trim them off if you want a neater look up front.
• Check your drainage after any spring storm. Standing water is more likely to hurt this grass than a dry spell is.

Trimming the dried seed stalks after they drop seed keeps the clumps looking tidy from the street instead of overgrown.

Summer

Summer is dormancy season for this grass. Expect it to turn tan and stop growing, and that's normal, not a sign it's dying.

• Leaves dry out and turn a straw or tan color as soil moisture drops. That's natural summer dormancy for a cool season bunchgrass, not a dead plant.
• Cut back or skip extra watering. This grass is shallow rooted and built to shut down for summer rather than be pushed to stay green through desert heat.
• Don't mow it hard during dormancy. Leave the dry tufts in place, they protect the crown through the worst heat.
• Hold off on planting new starts in peak summer heat. Fall is a better window for that.
• If a neighbor or HOA committee asks about the tan color, it helps to explain this is the grass's normal seasonal rest, same as many rangeland natives.

A tan, dormant look in peak summer is normal for this grass and not a dead patch, so it helps to have that explanation ready if it draws attention for looking brown.