Tufted hair grass

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade helps in hot summers, but deep shade reduces flowering.

Water

Keep the soil consistently moist while establishing. Once established, water during prolonged dry spells; this is not a grass for hot, dry sites.

Soil

Moist, humus-rich soil, including clay, across a broad pH range. Tolerates periodically waterlogged ground but does not need standing water.

Height

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m), including flower stems

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Late spring to midsummer; fine, branching heads of greenish to purplish flowers mature to silvery straw-gold and often persist into winter.

Foliage

Dense clumps of narrow, dark green leaves with rough edges; evergreen in mild climates and partly evergreen or dormant in colder winters.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Water regularly through the first growing season, then during extended dry weather.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding, which encourages floppy stems.
• Mulch around the clump to conserve moisture, keeping mulch away from the crown.
• Divide congested clumps in early spring when growth begins.
• Remove unwanted seedlings while small, or cut off flower heads before seed ripens.

Pruning. In late winter or very early spring, remove old flower stems and comb out dead leaves before fresh growth advances. If the whole clump is winter-browned, cut it back to about 4 in (10 cm), avoiding new green shoots.

Late winter

Remove old flower stems and dead foliage before new growth becomes tall.

Early spring

Plant or divide clumps and water them in thoroughly.

Spring

Top-dress lightly with compost and renew mulch around, not over, the crown.

Summer

Water during dry spells, particularly in sunny sites or warm climates.

Late summer

Remove seed heads if self-sowing is unwanted; otherwise leave them for autumn and winter structure.

Autumn

Pull unwanted seedlings and leave sound standing stems for winter interest.

• Plant in loose drifts through moist perennial borders to create a transparent layer above lower flowers.
• Use beside ponds or in seasonally damp ground, keeping the crown above permanent standing water.
• Combine with ferns and hostas along bright woodland edges for contrasting leaf textures.
• Place where low morning or evening light catches the golden flower heads.
• Repeat clumps among late-flowering perennials to carry structure into winter.

Garden styles it suits: New perennial (prairie), Woodland, Wildlife garden, Cottage garden and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Siberian iris, Astilbe, Hosta, Lady fern, Great burnet and Joe-Pye weed.

Wildlife: Dense tussocks provide shelter for insects and other small animals. It can support grass-feeding caterpillars where locally native; its wind-pollinated flowers offer little nectar value to bees.

• Summer browning or poor growth in hot, dry soil: water deeply, mulch, and provide afternoon shade in hot regions.
• Rust can cause orange-brown pustules on leaves: remove badly affected foliage, improve airflow, and avoid wetting leaves when watering.
• Flopping stems in rich soil or excessive shade: stop high-nitrogen feeding and move to a brighter position if necessary.
• Unwanted self-sowing in moist bare soil: remove flower heads before seed ripens and pull seedlings promptly.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people; no part is recognized as poisonous. The rough leaf edges can irritate skin when handled.

• Wavy hair grass (Avenella flexuosa)

  Has much finer, usually rolled or hair-like leaves and distinctly wavy branches in the flower heads; it generally favours drier, acidic ground.

• Purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea)

  Usually flowers later, has broader leaves, and turns yellow before dying back fully in winter; its flowering stems are largely bare above the basal foliage.

Deschampsia honours the French physician and naturalist Louis Auguste Deschamps, while cespitosa means tufted, referring to its dense clumping habit.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in early spring. Sow fresh seed in autumn or spring; seedlings may vary, so propagate named cultivars by division.

Accepted botanical name

Deschampsia cespitosa

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon. Introduced in Canada.

Native range

Afghanistan, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Altay, Amur, Antipodean Is., Arizona, Austria, Baltic States and Belarus.

Measured

Soil pH 5.5 to 6.5. Average height 30 cm.

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