Deschampsia flexuosa
Wavy Hairgrass
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Wavy Hairgrass is a winter-hardy, ornamental grass with fine-textured, hair-like blades. Feathery purple to bronze flowers appear July-September,...
Description:
Wavy Hairgrass is a winter-hardy, ornamental grass with fine-textured, hair-like blades. Feathery purple to bronze flowers appear July-September, turning gold during the winter; the flowers are good fresh-cut or dried. Wavy Hairgrass is one of the few grass species that will grow well in dry shade, although it flowers best in partly shady conditions. Clumping grasses like this one provide nesting sites and winter cover for birds, such as quail and sparrows, and shelter for small mammals. The seeds provide fall and winter food for a number of birds, including cardinals, sparrows, and finches. Use as a specimen plant, or plant in groups in shady borders, woodland gardens, or wildlife habitat areas.
Plant Details:
Plant Type: Grass
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Summer, Late Summer to Fall
Bloom Colors: Purple, Brown
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Birds
Salt Tolerance: Low to None
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: Piedmont - P, Coastal Plain - CP
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Partial Shade
Light Range: Partial Shade, Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 2 - 3 ft
Spread: 1 - 2 ft
Growth Rate: Medium