Stipa
Stipa arundinacea
Stipa arundinacea foliage with Callicarpa berries
(Anemanthele lessoniana)
(New Zealand wind grass & Pheasant's tail grass)
Australasia
Habitat includes the ground among trees & scrub
This graceful grass has a robust basal clump of slender foliage, almost evergreen up to 45cm high
The leaves flush deep red in late summer and dry to a creamy buff colour
From which emerge drooping panicles of purplish-brown flowers
Makes a good specimen plant in the border or planted in drifts as ground cover
Sun or even deep shade
Prefers the soil not too dry in the growing season
Often self-sows but very easy to manage as the seedlings are so distinctive and can be moved around easily
Stipa gigantea
(Giant feather grass)
Europe
Sun and well-drained soil
Does not survive water logging
Good strong clump of basal narrow green foliage, that is evergreen, to 50cm high
Loose open panicles like golden oats are held high above the foliage on stems up to 2m high throughout the summer
Which you can still view through, and wave dramatically in a breeze
Stipa splendens
(Achnatherum splendens / Lasiagrostis splendens)
Caucasus & Kazakhstan to China & Mongolia
Native to Steppes, semi-desert, gravels and saline meadows
Robust evergreen clumps of slender dark green leaves
producing airy white panicles with 4mm spikelets on stems up to 2.5m high
Dryish soil
Stipa tenuissima
(Pony Tails)
New Mexico, Texas, Mexico & Argentina
Native to steppes & rocky slopes
Sun loving with good drainage
This is a very graceful and beautiful ornamental grass
forming clumps of arching green leaves, with fluffy feathery plumes all summer
Which arrive a creamy-white colour but dry out to a buff colour on stems 45-75cm high
Exactly like a pony's tail
Super for the border, meadow, pot or patio