About

An airy, fine-textured perennial grass forming slowly-creeping clumps, to 1.2m high, of shiny, flat green leaves. Flower stems bear airy, arching heads of shiny, vivid green, red-tinted flowers from midsummer to early autumn.

About the genus

Eragrostis can be annual or perennial grasses with linear leaves and dense branched flowering panicles in summer and autumn

Growing conditions

SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectWest-facing, South-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4

Plant details

Plant typeGrass Like
HabitTufted
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Coastal, Prairie planting, Wildlife gardens, Wildflower meadow
Native toN. America

Care notes

CultivationGrow in a sunny position in well-drained soil, ideal for open woodland and planting in drifts
PruningCut back old stems to the ground in early spring before growth resumes
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in early summer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free