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Grass Like

Stipa pulcherrima

golden feather grass

A deciduous, perennial grass producing arching clumps of very narrow foliage and compact, narrow flowerheads that appear plume-like as the individual florets produce very long, feathery awns

Other common names

most beautiful stipa

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Tufted
Genus: Stipa can be evergreen or deciduous, mostly perennial grasses with arching, folded or rolled, linear leaves and narrow panicles of often long-awned spikelets in summer and autumn
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Europe

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in medium to light, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Divide every few years to maintain vigour. See ornamental grasses cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in late winter or early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
City and courtyard gardens
Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back all dead leaves and stems in late winter or early spring before new growth begins

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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