Tufted Hair Grass
Deschampsia cespitosa
One of the few grasses that will take shade and heavy clay both — and it seeds itself around by way of thanks.
Light Full sun to partial shade, and it takes more shade than most grasses.
Water Prefers moisture, and does well in heavy or clay ground.
Height 1 m
Spread 23.6 in
Spacing 60 cm
Spacing & sowing
- Plant spacing
- 23.6 in
- In-row spacing
- 23.6 in
- Between rows
- 2 ft 6 in
- Square-foot density
- Not suited to SFG
Growing
- Type
- Grass · Perennial
- Botanical family
- Mixed / other
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade, and it takes more shade than most grasses.
- Watering
- Prefers moisture, and does well in heavy or clay ground.
- Feeding
- No feeding needed; average to poor soil suits it.
- Frost tolerant
- Yes
- Flowering
- June
- Pruning
- Cut back hard to 10 cm in late February, every year.
- Overwintering
- Hardy through winter with no protection.
Through the year
- Mar–Jun Spring Growth
- Jun–Sep Flowering
- Sep–Nov Growing
- Nov–Dec Leaf Fall
- Jan–Mar Leaf Fall
Pests & problems
The Cottage Garden Companion — the gardener's herbarium at cottagegardencompanion.com