- Botanical name: Stipa tenuissima
- Common name: Mexican feather grass
- Family: Poaceae
- Plant Type: Perennial, Evergreen
Green
- Key features:
- Attractive seedheads
Stipa tenuissima is a neat, compact, perennial grass, bearing closely packed, stiff, thread-like stems forming a strongly horizontal shape. In summer, masses of elegant pale feathery seed-heads are held above the foliage. These can be cut and dried when first opened for use in winter arrangements indoors. Alternatively they make a useful winter food source for finches and other seed-eating birds.
Grow Stipa tenuissima in well-drained soil in full sun. It works well in a mixed border among herbaceous plants and other grasses. To propagate, divide plants from mid-spring to early summer.
How to grow Stipa tenuissima
-
Plant size
60cm height
30cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Front, middle
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do Plant in July |
A
Do Plant in August |
S
Do Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Divide | ||||||||||||
| Divide |
J
Do not Divide in January |
F
Do not Divide in February |
M
Do not Divide in March |
A
Do Divide in April |
M
Do Divide in May |
J
Do Divide in June |
J
Do not Divide in July |
A
Do not Divide in August |
S
Do not Divide in September |
O
Do not Divide in October |
N
Do not Divide in November |
D
Do not Divide in December |
Stipa tenuissima and wildlife
Stipa tenuissima has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Stipa tenuissima poisonous?
Stipa tenuissima has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
Plants that go well with Stipa tenuissima
