Stipa tenuissima seed Nassella Tenuissima

LATIN NAME: Nassella tenuissima

COMMON NAME: Mexican Feather Grass

Mexican feather grass is the fine, silky, wind-blown grass of the dry hillsides. The neat, clump-forming, perennial grass carries the very fine, hair-like, pale-green leaves, and the long, feathery, silver-green flower heads sway and catch the light through the whole summer, one of the most graceful of the ornamental grasses. The whole clump moves in the slightest breeze, and it is a fine, easy, generous plant of the sunny, dry, well-drained garden. It is a plant of the open, sunny ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

Mexican feather grass has carved a quiet but solid place in the plant science, and the grass has been studied for the fine, hair-like leaves and the feathery, silver-green flower heads. Researchers have looked at the way the plant holds its own in the dry, open ground, and it keeps showing up in the work on the ornamental grasses, the dryland plants and the soil cover of the warm, dry regions. The neat, clumping habit and the fine, wind-blown look have also made it a favourite of the garden designers, and the grass is a regular subject of the studies of the feather grasses and the plants of the open prairies.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Mexican feather grass does a lot of work in the garden. The fine, silky flower heads sway and catch the light through the whole summer, and the neat, clumping grass is one of the finest of the ornamental grasses for the border, the gravel garden and the container. The plant holds the soil of the dry banks, though it can seed around freely in the mild, dry places, so the garden is the best home for it. It has drawn attention in the international horticultural press for the feathery, wind-blown look and the ease of the plant, and it is a fine, easy grass of the open, sunny, well-drained garden.

Mexican feather grass is one of the most graceful of the ornamental grasses, and the fine, hair-like leaves and the long, feathery flower heads move in the slightest breeze. The neat, clumping plant holds the soil of the dry banks, and the silver-green plumes catch the light through the whole summer.

To grow the Mexican feather grass from seed, sow the small, narrow seeds on the surface of pots of moist, free-draining soil and press them in lightly, keep them in a bright, open spot and water gently. The seedlings come up within a couple of weeks and grow on steadily. Give them the sun and the dry, well-drained ground, and the fine, silky, silver-green plumes will sway through the summer.

Season: Perennial
USDA Zones: 6 – 10
Height: 16 inches
Width: 12 inches
Foliage Color: Medium green
Flower Color: White spikes
Growth Rate: Fast
Fall Color: Golden brown
Soil Requirement: Average garden soil, pH 6.0 – 7.0
Environment: Full sun
Moisture Requirements: Average to dry

Temperature: 68 – 72F
Average Germ Time: 2 – 3 weeks
Light Required: Yes
Depth: Cover seeds lightly
Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination
Plant Spacing: 12 inches