Stipa arundinacea
Pheasant's tail grass, New Zealand wind grass
Also known as Anemanthele lessoniana, Oryzopsis lessoniana
- Height × spread
- 0.45m × 0.9m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Average winter to - 10C (RHS H4)
- Flowers
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
Availability
Generally available in late Spring, Summer & early Autumn
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This very pretty grass goes through colour changes, bright green in spring, taking on orange and brown hues as summer progresses with marked orange and brown tones in autumn, carrying on through winter. There are brown seed heads. If you are very positive you refer to the winter coloration as orange and red. It is low growing and quite wide spreading since the fine foliage arches outwards from the centre. It is good in front of taller grasses, but these smaller grasses make charming additions to any herbaceous planting since they introduce a delicate wavy dome shape as relief from all those columns.
- Flower colour
- Brown, Green
- Foliage colour
- Brown, Green, Yellow
- Spring foliage
- Bright green
- Autumn foliage
- Orange-brown
- Fruit colour
- Brown
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Fan
- Height
- 0.45m
- Spread
- 0.9m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
- Flowers in
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Winter garden, Prairie garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Average winter to - 10C (RHS H4)
- Borders & containers
- Borders and containers
- Use for
- Bird attraction
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.
Spring-Autumn · Planting
Remove dead leaves
When leaves die they can carefully be detached or cut off at their base to improve the overall appearance of the plant. Be careful not to damage the main stems during this process.
Found in
More Stipa
Stipa gigantea
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Stipa tenuissima 'Pony Tails'
Mexican hair grass
Stipa
Needle grass, Spear grass, Feather grass
Stipa barbata
Short bearded feather grass, Feather grass
Stipa calamagrostis
Silver spike grass, Silver spear grass
Stipa gigantea 'Gold Fontaene'
Golden oats, Giant oats, Giant feather grass
Stipa ichu
Ichu needle grass
Stipa pennata
European feather grass