Red Tussock Grass

A New Zealand native plant, Chionochloa rubra is a compact, perennial, evergreen grass with narrow, in-rolled, copper-to-red-tinted leaves, forming a graceful, open tussock. In late summer, lax panicles, up to 5’/1.5m high, appear on mature plants and persist into the winter; these bear awned spikelets (rather like barley heads). Cut before fully mature, they make a long-lasting dried flower arrangement. A wonderfully mobile, arching plant, red tussock grass holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Cut out flowered stems in early winter.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Any well-drained soil
Position: Full sun
Season of interest: All year, summer and autumn in particular
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 39” (1m) Spread: 39” (1m)

Photo by Bat and licensed under CC0.