Stipa tenuissima

Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)

Mexican feather grass looks wonderful in a range of different garden settings, but it is particularly prized for prairie-style planting. This is a species of ornamental grass. ('Pony Tails' is a cultivar very similar to the species type, though may also be used as a synonym.)

Since it grows in arid areas in the wild, this grass cannot tolerate waterlogging. It needs free draining conditions. Though it is drought tolerant once established, it will need water as it gets going, during dry spells. It needs a site in full sun, but can cope with sheltered or exposed conditions.

The fine, filament leaves, and soft, feathery brown flower panicles, mean that this species is prized as an ornamental plant. Its tolerance of a range of soil types and its hardiness, along with the fact that it is rarely bothered by pests or disease, make it an excellent low-maintenance garden choice where waterlogging and excessively wet conditions don't occur.