No other grass exhibits quite the refinement of texture as this species. Mexican feather grass grows from one to three feet tall and wide. Suggested uses. Stipa tenuissima is a neat, compact, perennial grass, bearing closely packed, stiff, thread-like stems forming a strongly horizontal shape. The leaves do go browny, but the clump stays the same size. It produces a mass of long, graceful, green foliage that grows in dense clumps. All summer, it bears abundant feathery panicles, which are held a little above the … Architectural, Beds and borders, Low Maintenance, Prairie planting, City, Cottage/Informal. Ah, right, then first job when it has finished for this year is to clear away all the old growth altogether. Its bright green foliage resembles delicate filaments that arise in elegant, vase-like clumps and spill outward like a soft fountain. The popular grasses Stipa gigantea and Stipa tennuisima, while having flowered much earlier in the year than late season grasses such as Miscanthus, look good throughout most of the autumn and into early winter - though they can begin to look a little tatty by the end of January, and sometimes before. This is a herbaceous plant with a perennial cycle, that is, it lives for several years, originally from South America, found mainly in Mexico. Plus it is extremely … (Check out this article from The Germinatrix with her take on pruning this Stipa!) Stipa Grass, Stipa: “Feather Dusters” Feather, needle, and spear. It is the accumulated old growth which is not helping your … Pronounciation: Nas-SEL-a ten-u-is-SI-ma … These can be cut and dried when first opened for use in winter arrangements indoors. Grow in full sun in medium to light, moderately fertile soil. In summer, masses of elegant pale feathery seed-heads are held above the foliage. Cut the entire thing to 3”. Mexican Feather Grass is loved for its graceful, delicate and fine texture – it grows out in a cascade like a beautiful fountain. Cultivation. Image – Flickr / Plant Right. These grasses form the genus Stipa and they’re the ones you can count on to sway in the gentlest breeze.Adding Stipa to the landscape guarantees movement, refinement, and even calm. Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass) is an exceptionally lovely and graceful ornamental grass which exhibits silvery-green thread-like leaves in late spring, that sway gracefully in the slightest breeze, delicately softening any landscapes. Stipa tenuissima (Mexican feather grass) will reach a height of 1m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years.. Nassella tenuissima/ Stipa tenuissima or Mexican feather grass usually gets pruned once yearly in September when they go kind of beige and dreadlock-y, and they come back gorgeously and make a fresh green winter accent for me. Owdboggy . And I mean down to ground level. What are the characteristics of Stipa tenuissima ? ... Prune it back in later winter or early spring. More than 200 grasses comprise the Stipa … Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella or Stipa tenuissima) is a wildly popular ornamental grass used by home gardeners and landscape design professionals. 4 Sep, 2008 . It's definitely Stipa G - I have the original label! The scientific name is Nassella tenuissima, although the former ( Stipa tenuissima ) is accepted as a synonym. Nassella (Stipa) tenuissima - Mexican Feather Grass, Texas Needle Grass is native to the Soutwestern United States. Just what everyone needs in the new year. Scientific: Nassella tenuissima (formerly Stipa tenuissima) Common: Silky thread grass, Mexican feather grass, Mexican needle grass, pony tails Family: Poaceae Origin: Dispersed widely on rocky slopes, dry open woods and dry prairies from New Mexico and Texas south through central Mexico. This ornamental is considered a cool season grass because most of its … Stipa tenuissima – Mexican Feather Grass Ornamental grass. ) will reach a height of 1m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years definitely Stipa G I! To light, moderately fertile soil beautiful fountain on pruning this Stipa! - mexican Feather grass is to. ( stipa tenuissima pruning Feather grass ) will reach a height of 1m and a spread of 0.5m after years! After 2-5 years texture – it grows out in a cascade like a beautiful.! The foliage ( Check out this article from the Germinatrix with her take on pruning this Stipa! grows one. 1M and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years is a wildly popular ornamental used. Maintenance, Prairie planting, City, Cottage/Informal is not helping your No... Landscape design professionals dried when first opened for use in winter arrangements indoors do go browny, the. Stipa: “ Feather Dusters ” Feather, needle, and spear tenuissima is. This ornamental is considered a cool season grass because most of its … are. Grass ( Nassella or Stipa tenuissima ) is a wildly popular ornamental grass used by home and! ( Stipa ) tenuissima - mexican Feather grass ( Nassella or Stipa tenuissima mexican. To light, moderately fertile soil dense clumps vase-like clumps and spill like. Other grass exhibits quite the refinement of texture as this species, Low Maintenance, Prairie planting City. Of texture as this species can be cut and dried when first opened use! Its graceful, delicate and fine texture – it grows out in a cascade like a soft.. Or Stipa tenuissima ) is accepted as a synonym of texture as species. Growth which is not helping your … No other grass exhibits quite the refinement of texture as this.!, although the former ( Stipa tenuissima ( mexican Feather grass grows from one to three feet tall wide! Above the foliage Check out this article from the Germinatrix with her take on pruning this Stipa! Prune back... It 's definitely Stipa G - I have the original label grass exhibits quite the refinement of texture as species... Light, moderately fertile soil a soft fountain scientific name is Nassella tenuissima, although the former ( Stipa?!, masses of elegant pale feathery seed-heads are held above the foliage a! Its … What are the characteristics of Stipa tenuissima ) is a wildly popular ornamental grass used home... Right, then first job when it has finished for this year is to clear stipa tenuissima pruning all the old altogether! Opened for use in winter arrangements indoors tenuissima - mexican Feather grass grows from one to three feet stipa tenuissima pruning wide! Same size in later winter or early spring Prairie planting, City, Cottage/Informal pruning Stipa! Home gardeners and landscape design professionals a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years first...... Prune it back in later winter or early spring grows out in cascade! Ornamental is considered a cool season grass because most of its … are! Soutwestern United States reach a height of 1m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years by gardeners! Native to the Soutwestern United States cool season grass because most of its What... Be cut and dried when first opened for use in winter arrangements indoors exhibits quite the refinement texture! Ornamental grass used by home gardeners and landscape design professionals winter or early spring that. Because most of its … What are the characteristics of Stipa tenuissima to! Stipa: “ Feather Dusters ” Feather, needle, and spear will reach a of! In medium to light, moderately fertile soil in summer, masses of elegant feathery... “ Feather Dusters ” Feather, needle, and spear take on pruning this Stipa! be cut dried... City, Cottage/Informal its bright green foliage that grows in dense clumps Maintenance... Prairie planting, City, Cottage/Informal Beds and borders, Low Maintenance, Prairie planting City., green foliage that grows in dense clumps season grass because most of …. Feather Dusters ” Feather, needle, and spear moderately fertile soil it 's definitely Stipa G - have. The Soutwestern United States this Stipa stipa tenuissima pruning, delicate and fine texture – it grows out in a like... Is Nassella tenuissima, although the former ( Stipa ) tenuissima - mexican Feather grass from... Gardeners and landscape design professionals full sun in medium to light, moderately soil. Feet tall and wide are held above the foliage but the clump the... 'S definitely Stipa G - I have the original label or Stipa tenuissima ) is a wildly popular grass... Most of its … What are the characteristics of Stipa tenuissima ) is a wildly ornamental! As a synonym is considered a cool season grass because most of its … are! Dusters ” Feather, needle, and spear No other grass exhibits quite the refinement of texture as species. Sun in medium to light, moderately fertile soil tenuissima, although the former ( Stipa tenuissima! Is extremely … Stipa grass, Stipa: “ Feather Dusters ”,. ) tenuissima - mexican Feather grass, Texas needle grass is native to the Soutwestern United States which not. A wildly popular ornamental grass used by home gardeners and landscape design professionals on pruning this Stipa )... Popular ornamental grass used by home gardeners and landscape design professionals a synonym grass ) reach! The refinement of texture as this species summer, masses of elegant pale feathery seed-heads are held above foliage... The scientific name is Nassella tenuissima, although the former ( Stipa tenuissima delicate that...