Feather grass

Sun

Full sun.

Water

Water regularly while establishing; once rooted, water only during prolonged drought. Avoid persistently damp soil.

Soil

Light, sharply drained soil, preferably sandy, gritty or gravelly; tolerates poor soil and alkaline conditions.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m), including flower stems

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Early to midsummer; inconspicuous flowers carry long, silvery-white feathered awns that become pale straw-coloured.

Foliage

Fine, narrow, green to grey-green leaves forming a small tuft; foliage may persist in mild winters but dies back in colder conditions.

Growth

Moderate.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.7 ft (0.51 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.2 ft (0.67 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in spring in a sunny position with excellent drainage.
• Water during the first growing season, allowing the soil to dry between waterings.
• Avoid routine feeding; rich soil encourages floppy growth.
• Use a thin gravel mulch rather than moisture-holding mulch against the crown.
• Remove unwanted seedlings while small.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, gently comb out dead leaves and remove spent flower stems. If the whole tuft has died back, cut it to about 4 in (10 cm), avoiding any fresh green shoots.

Late winter

Check that water is draining away from the crown and remove collapsed flower stems.

Early spring

Comb out dead foliage, or trim fully dormant tufts before new growth develops.

Spring

Plant new specimens and water them in thoroughly.

Early summer

Water establishing plants during dry spells; leave established clumps relatively dry.

Late summer

Remove seed heads before seed falls if you do not want seedlings.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the crown and leave sound stems standing for seasonal interest.

• Plant in small groups through a gravel garden with lavender and rock roses.
• Position where low morning or evening sun shines through the silvery awns.
• Use among drought-tolerant flowering perennials to add fine texture and movement.
• Grow beside a sunny terrace, set back from paths where the seed heads could brush against people or pets.

Garden styles it suits: Dry gravel garden, Mediterranean, New perennial (prairie), Sensory garden, Modern Mediterranean and Desert / xeriscape.

Plant it with: Lavender, Russian sage, Rock rose, Yarrow, Sea holly and Catmint.

Wildlife: Clumps offer some shelter for small invertebrates. Flowers are wind-pollinated and are not a significant nectar source for bees or butterflies.

• Crown rot in wet winter soil: improve drainage or replant on a raised, gritty mound; discard badly rotted plants.
• Floppy growth in shade or rich soil: move to full sun and stop feeding.
• Winter losses in exposed or marginally hardy locations: choose a sheltered site with dry winter soil and plant in spring.
• Unwanted seedlings: remove seed heads before they shed and pull seedlings promptly.

Not known to be chemically toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. The pointed seeds and long awns can nevertheless cause physical injury if caught in eyes, ears, mouths or skin; keep pets and grazing animals away from mature seed heads.

• Giant feather grass (Celtica gigantea)

  Much taller, with open sprays of golden, oat-like flowers rather than the long, silky white plumes of Stipa barbata.

• Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima)

  Forms a dense, hair-fine fountain with masses of relatively short awns, rather than the conspicuously long, individually feathered awns of Stipa barbata.

• European feather grass (Stipa pennata)

  Also has white feathered awns and can be difficult to distinguish; reliable identification requires comparing mature spikelets and awn details rather than overall garden appearance.

The species name barbata means 'bearded', referring to the conspicuously hairy, feather-like awns.

Propagation. Sow ripe seed in a gritty seed compost in autumn or spring; germination can be irregular. Small clumps can be divided carefully in spring, although established plants resent excessive root disturbance.

Accepted botanical name

Stipa barbata

Native range

Afghanistan, Algeria, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine and Sicilia.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.