Stipa arundinacea (New Zealand Wind Grass)

Gorgeous, fast-growing, tough as nails, Stipa arundinacea or Anemanthele lessoniana (Pheasant’s Tail Grass) is an elegant and impressive ornamental grass that has become a favorite of landscape designers and gardeners. Semi-evergreen, with an open growth habit, it exhibits arching, dark green, thread-like leaves, that sway gracefully in the slightest breeze. They turn into attractive shades of copper, gold, and bronze in the fall and throughout winter, adding bristling color to the dull winter landscape. It is topped in summer with airy arching sprays of rosy flowers that hang down, almost kissing the ground, and move into a lovely bronze color in the fall.

• The beautiful arching lines of Stipa arundinacea help create magnificent and elegantly mobile combinations in the landscape. Highly versatile, it is perfect for borders where this grass will easily combine with other plants, containers, ground covers, edging, gravel gardens, city gardens, cottage gardens, coastal gardens, and dry hillsides for erosion control, or in prairie plantings. Makes a great accent or beautiful backdrop.
• Won the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Growing easily in a dense fountain-like clump about 3 ft. tall and wide (90 cm), it enjoys full sun or part shade in moderately fertile, medium to light, well-drained soils. Stipa arundinacea is not fussy about soils and tolerates heavy clay soils, unlike many other ornamental grasses. Self-sowing but without being invasive.
• Drought and deer tolerant, it is pest-free, disease-free and requires very little care, and provides year-round interest.
• Comb out dead or winter-damaged leaves in early spring. Cut back every 2 years for a fresh look. Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame in spring or by division from mid-spring to early summer.