Deschampsia cespitosa
tufted hair grass
- Position: full sun or partial shade
- Soil: dry to moist, neutral to acid soil
- Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
- Flowering period: June to August
- Hardiness: fully hardy
Forming evergreen tussocks of stiff, mid-green leaves, which are topped by open, arching sprays of silvery-purple spikelets throughout the summer. This marvellous grass will flourish in sun or light shade in reliably moist soils, although it will become tolerant of drought once it has had a chance to become established. Often top of the designers' wishlists, they are easy to grow and flowerheads can be cut and added to dried arrangements. - Garden care: Remove the faded flower-heads in late winter before new growth appears. If the foliage has also started to look tatty at that time of the year, then this too can be cut back hard. In warm areas the plant has a tendency to self-seed freely. Where this is the case remove unwanted seedlings as part of routine border maintenance.