About
Chionochloa rubra is a perennial grass that creates a compact clump characterized by narrow, red-tinged foliage. Its flowering stems can reach up to 1.5 meters in height, producing loose panicles adorned with small spikelets that feature distinctive awns, typically blooming in late summer.
About the genus
Chionochloa comprises dense, tufted evergreen grasses featuring slender, linear leaves that may exhibit appealing colors. In summer, they produce elongated stems topped with loose panicles that contain small flowering spikelets.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Grass Like
- Habit
- Tufted
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Prairie planting, Cottage and informal garden
- Native to
- New Zealand
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Easy to grow in moist but well-drained, light, fertile soil. Will not tolerate excessive winter wet
- Pruning
- Cut back old, flowered stems at the bases in early winter
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free