Someone's giving you bad info. Moor grass is Molinia not Phalaris. There is no hybrid of P. arundinacea that would be a Moor grass.

Phalaris arundinacea var. is likely referring to Phalaris arundinacea variety Picta.

Purple Moor Grass commonly refers to a variety of Molinia caerulea or Molinia arundinacea, which is where the supplier may have gotten confused and mislabeled.

The description, however, describes a Tall Purple Moor Grass, whose seed heads are carried high above the foliage (24" foliage, height of 72").

I also wonder why they would sell seed and tell you it's from a hybrid variety. It likely will not be true to variety, but partially or fully revert to the species. Just something additional to ask of the supplier.

grass guy ~ Thanks for your input. You've helped to clear up my confusion. Now all I have to do is help the confused supplier clear up his!! LOL
It can get confusing sometimes however if I was able to figure out something wasn't quite fitting ... uh... it should be easier for a man who makes his money selling seeds. ? ya think?
Anyway... your reply has given me the confidence to know that I am making the correct claims to the company regarding a mistake in their online catalog.
Now are the seeds going to be Purple Moor Grass or Reed Canary Grass??
***scratching my head***
The part that really gets me is that the owner of what seems to be a very large seed company actually states that the seed is from a hybrid ...
As you say grass guy...we know it's unlikely that you'll get a grass from those seeds that will stay true to variety but instead revert.

Why wouldn't he( the owner) know that??
Oh don't even get me started!!!!!

Thanks again.
Bruce

Okay now I really need some support on this issue. This is the response I received back from the company.

"You do not seem to understand, many plants can have the same common name. I know of six different plants that have the same name of Fairy Duster for instance, but are totally different species. It is true that there is a Molinia species called Purple Moor Grass, so is the P. Arundinacea var. we offer, there is also a carex species with this name purple moor grass.

As many new varieties become available, this problem will only get worse.

You must always check the botanical name of a plant listed to make sure you are receiving the plant variety you are looking for, hope this clears up the confusion."

I don't think he's right about this. What is your opinion? This is like saying an apple is an orange isn't it?
Or is there a Phalaris arundinacea var. named Purple Moor grass? Because if there is I can't seem to find it anywhere.(excect on his site)

Please add your 2 cents to this topic for me. I don't care anymore about getting him straight on the issue. I just need to know if I'm nuts or what's the truth here.

Thanks again.
Bruce

Unfortunately, that IS a problem with common names - one can freely call anything they like "purple moor grass" but it doesn't make it so :-)) Common names have no validity other than a typically recognized and accepted usage. "Moor grass" as a common name is appied to the genus Molinea, although there are a couple of species of Sesleria that also are commonly referred to as moor grass as well. But I have never seen or heard it applied to either Carex or Phalaris (carex is commonly referred to as a sedge - not a true grass at all - and phalaris as ribbon grass). The most widely accepted OG resources do not list either as such nor does a search under Google turn up a reference to either as "purple moor grass" anywhere else.

Your seed source is just doing a CYA move and very likely, attempting to pass off a rather invasive/aggressively spreading species as one that has a very well-behaved, clumping reputation. You are justified in questioning him and his motives. But for future reference, confirm the plant in question by botanical name. Then there will be no doubts.

Gardengal48~ This is certainly a lesson learned. Due to my inexperience at the time that I purchased the seeds I gravitated to the common names. This obviously lead me to making a mistake when choosing what I thought was the seed for Molinia arundinacea. As you say, I see now how the common names can be very misleading and therefore it is best to make selection based on the latin name of the seed being offered.
All of this is also reliant on the legitimacy of the seed source itself.
Based on what I have learned from of you & Grassguy I can conclude that the seed I bought is actually Phalaris arundinacea var..
Only because of the invasive nature I've read about with the Phalaris species am I hesitant to take a chance at planting and introducing this grass to my property.
Are my worries of having Phalaris arundinacea var. running rampant throughout our 2 acre woodland property founded? Or is the " var." perhaps indicative of a less invasive, more garden friendly variety? Does anyone have exeperience with a Phalaris arundinacea var. ??? If so I would love to hear your views/opinions.

Thanks for all your guidance. It has been an excellent and dependable resource as always.

Bruce

I got a chuckle from the vendors response. Mistakes and confusion can happen all the time with plant nomenclature, but I have never, ever heard ribbon grass referred to as moor grass :)

I recommend ribbon grass be used as a container grass or in an easy to control area. In the right location, it will not be a threat. The variegated varieties sold by most grass retailers are not as aggressive, but still can spread out of control in the right situation...they love to have their toes wet. It won't run rampant through your wooded area, but if you decide you don't like it, it can be a problem to completely get rid of it.

The added problem you face is that you have seed for a grass which you really don't know for sure what variety or even species it is.

Grassguy~ I'm chuckling now also. I can see now that common plant names can cause a lot of confusion. It's obvious that mistakes would be easy to make in these cases. Regrettable in this instance it appears the error will not be admitted or corrected.
Most importantly for me is that people like yourself have taken time to enlighten me on the subject at hand. You have shared your knowledge and encouraged me to learn.
I am truly grateful. Thanks for your time.

Anyone want some ' mystery ' grass?? LOL

PS. Out of curiosity I will be winter sowing some of these seeds to see what will actually grows.

The seeds do not appear to be those of Phalaris. I searched images of Phalaris seed online which seemed to have tiny hairy-ish seed coats. These are smooth and shiny.
Oh I hope they're not .... forget-me-nots!!! LOL

Happy Grass Growing!!!
Bruce

I quite like the look of the variegated forms of ribbon grass, but I agree with grassguy that these are best planted in a container for complete control. They are just too enthusiastic in most gardens to give them free rein.

As both me and my garden age, I am very cautious about including new grasses until I can verify their behavior. Some spread too easily and others seed too freely and while routine maintenance can keep most in check, I no longer want or have the time to expend the effort :-) Kind of pity sometimes, as one of my favorite grasses now fits in this category and has been banned from my garden for being just too prolific.

Hi Gardengal48
I agree. Through all of this I have become quite fond of the variegated ribbon grasses. Aside from their spreading habit they appear to be attractive plants in their own right. In the right application the spreading nature can be desirable as well.
In regards to gardening and the work load...I know what you mean. I question my passion for gardening with the same feelings as you've expressed. Gardening is an entirely new endeavor for me and I sometimes fear that my eagerness to fill every square inch of 2 acres with horticultural splendor will someday turn into something I won't be able to keep up with. Perhaps even wishing I would have left it untouched.
I hope it never comes to that and so in the mean time ... I'll just continue digging and planting...one step & "one unidentified invasive species" at a time to create the gardens of my dreams.
Happy Gardening gardengal. Thanks also for contributing your knowledge and expertise.
Bruce