SimplePlant

Poaceae

Purple moorgrass

Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench

Family
Poaceae
Genus
Molinia

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Purple moorgrass (Molinia caerulea)
FlowerPhoto: Donald Davesne, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (33)
Arabic
مولينيا سماوية, حشيشة السبخات الأرجوانية, مولنية
arz
مولينيا سماويه
Asturian
Oliciu
Belarusian
Малінія блакітная
Bulgarian
Синкава молиния
Chinese
天蓝麦氏草, 蓝沼草
Czech
Bezkolenec modrý
Danish
Almindelig Blåtop, Blåtop
Dutch
Pijpenstrootje
English
Purple moorgrass, Purple moor grass, Purple moor-grass
Esperanto
Blua molinio
Estonian
Harilik sinihelmikas
Finnish
Siniheinä, Pikkusiniheinä
French
Molinie bleue, Molinie, Paleine
German
Blaues Pfeifengras, Pfeifengras, Besenried, Gewöhnliches Pfeifengras, Kleines Pfeifengras
gv
Brabbanagh
hsb
Wšědny prostak
Hungarian
Nyugati kékperje, Kékperje
Irish
Fionnán
Japanese
ヨウシュヌマガヤ
Kazakh
Көкшіл лағат
kw
Gwelsen an gonyow
li
Smeelj
Lithuanian
Melsvoji melvenė
Norwegian Bokmål
Blåtopp, Leddløysa
Norwegian Nynorsk
Blåtopp, Leddløysa
Polish
Trzęślica modra, Trzęślica jednokolankowa
Russian
Молиния голубая, Бесколенник голубой, Синявка
Slovak
Bezkolenec belasý
Swedish
Blåtåtel
Ukrainian
Молінія голуба
Walloon
Fenaesse di fagne
Welsh
Glaswellt y gweunydd

Synonyms

  • Aira atrovirens Thuill.
  • Aira caerulea L.
  • Aira caerulea unranked variegata Abbey
  • Amblytes caerulea (L.) Dulac
  • Arundo agrostis Lapeyr. ex Willk. & Lange
  • Cynodon caeruleus (L.) Raspail
  • Enodium atrovirens Dumort.
  • Enodium caeruleum (L.) Gaudin
  • Enodium caeruleum subsp. atrovirens (Thuill.) Dumort.
  • Enodium caeruleum var. alpinum Gray
  • Enodium caeruleum var. angustifolium Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. brevifolium Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. congestum Pauquy
  • Enodium caeruleum var. contractum Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. depauperatum Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. divaricatum Dumort.
  • Enodium caeruleum var. interruptum Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. latifolium Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. laxum Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. longifolium Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. multiflorum Gray
  • Enodium caeruleum var. pallescens Lange
  • Enodium caeruleum var. parviflorum Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. pauciflorum Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. secundum Tinant
  • Enodium caeruleum var. sylvaticum Gray
  • Enodium caeruleum var. uniflorum Tinant
  • Enodium litorale Rchb. ex Kunth
  • Enodium sylvaticum Link
  • Festuca caerulea (L.) DC.
  • Hydrochloa caerulea (L.) Hartm.
  • Hydrochloa coerulea Hartm.
  • Melica alpina G.Don ex D.Don
  • Melica arundinacea Raeusch.
  • Melica atrovirens (Thuill.) Le Turq.
  • Melica caerulea (L.) L.
  • Melica caerulea var. atrovirens (Thuill.) Lej.
  • Melica caerulea var. major Roth
  • Melica caerulea var. minor Schrad.
  • Melica caerulea var. viridiflora Lej.

and 60 more.

Flowers

In flower
July to September (from 51 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit
Graminoid
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

More in Molinia

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.