Lehmann lovegrass (Eragostis Iehmanniana Nees.) is a warm-season, perennial bunchgrass introduced from South Africa in 1932. Since 1950 Lehmann lovegrass has been seeded and established on over 170,000 acres and has spread to an additional 190,000 acres of rangeland in southern Arizona. It seems to be very well adapted to certain soils at elevations between 3,000 and 4,800 feet where summer rainfall averages about 8 inches or more. The ease of establishment, small seed size, low seed cost, productivity, persistence, and excellent soil protection make it a popular choice for seeding following brush mangement and on highway and utility right-of-ways. Unfortunately, this species is so well adapated to parts of southern Arizona that it has and continues to spread into mixed communities of desirable native perennial grasses (Cable 1971, Cox and Ruyle 1986).
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Source: Lehmann Lovegrass and Drought in Southern Arizona by Dan Robinett.
Reports and other documents about Sonoran Desert ecology, management, and conservation. Curated by the not-for-profit Altar Valley Conservation Alliance (AVCA) located outside Tucson, AZ.