About
Deciduous, tufted perennial grass about 80cm in height, producing an upright clump of very fine, greyish-green leaves and very decorative, loose, wispy, silvery-white flower plumes, in early and mid-summer.
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
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeGrass Like
HabitTufted, Clump forming
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCoastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Prairie planting, Wildflower meadow, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationGrow in any light, well-drained soil in full sun. See Ornamental grasses cultivation
PruningCut back deciduous species in early winter
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in mid-spring or early summer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free