Gossamer grass
Anemanthele lessoniana · Poaceae
📷 Photo by Flickr user hortulus; heavily cropped by Hesperian, so don't blame hortulus for the poor framing, okay? · CC BY 2.0
The gardener's calendar
Gossamer grass is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, fine and cascading
- Flowering
- August to October, very light golden spikes
- Adult size
- 1.5 m in height, 0.8 to 1 m in spread
- Growth
- Fast, reaches adult size in 2-3 years
- Hardiness
- Moderate, down to -10 to -12 °C depending on conditions
- Origin
- New Zealand
- Soil type
- Well-drained, tolerates poor and rocky soils
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Anemanthele is satisfied with moderate watering once well-established (6 months). Dry summers wear it down less than stagnant water.
The common mistake
Don't cut the clump flush in autumn: ornamental grasses will die back if you cut them down too early.
The pro's trick
Leave the golden flower heads all through autumn and winter: they dry on the stem and provide real landscape structure.
Care
Exposure
The Hairy Feather Grass thrives in full sun, which intensifies the golden tint of its foliage. Install it in an open spot, without shade from trees. A south or west-facing exposure suits it particularly well to optimize its color and airy structure.
Watering
Water regularly during the first year to establish roots. Once established, this ornamental grass tolerates drought well and only needs watering during prolonged dry spells. Avoid excess winter moisture, especially in cold regions.
Soil
Choose well-drained soil, as this grass dislikes waterlogged conditions. It adapts to poor, rocky or sandy soils. Organic matter added at planting time speeds up establishment, but isn't essential.
Pruning and cutting
Cut back dead foliage in late winter or early spring, cutting it down to 10-15 cm from the ground. Wear thick gloves, as the leaves are sharp. This operation encourages vigor and density of new spring growth.
Fertilizing
No fertilizer is strictly necessary. A balanced fertilizer application in spring can support growth on very poor soils. Prefer an annual application of compost or organic matter rather than concentrated mineral fertilizer.
Diseases and pests
This ornamental grass is naturally very robust. It suffers mainly from insufficient winter drainage, which can rot the rhizomes. Under suitable conditions, it generally poses no significant health or pest problems.
Did you know?
The Hairy Feather Grass owes its Latin name 'lessoniana' to the French naturalist René Lesson, who explored Polynesia in the 19th century. In New Zealand, this native grass is known as 'Pheasant grass' because of its light spikes that sway elegantly in the breeze, reminiscent of the graceful movements of birds. It has become a star of modern European gardens since the 1990s, symbolizing the blend between dry gardens and natural aesthetics.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Tufted hair grassDeschampsia cespitosa
- Wavy hair-grassAvenella flexuosa
- Purple moor-grassMolinia caerulea
- Reed canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea
- Common quaking grassBriza media
- Creeping soft-grassHolcus mollis
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.