About
A perennial grass producing a loose clump of narrow, mid-green leaves. From early summer it produces small clusters of flowers, with seed awns up to 45cm long, silky and silvery at first, then becoming cream, fluffy and curled, like an ostrich feather.
About the genus
Stipa can be evergreen or deciduous, mostly perennial grasses with arching, folded or rolled, linear leaves and narrow panicles of often long-awned spikelets in summer and autumn
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeGrass Like
HabitTufted
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Gravel garden, Cottage and informal garden
Native toS Europe
Care notes
CultivationGrow in light, very well-drained soil in full sun. Can be slow to establish
PruningCut down to near ground level in early spring
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free