Creeping soft-grass
Holcus mollis · Poaceae
📷 James K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant creeping soft-grass: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Scientific name
- Holcus mollis
- Family
- Poaceae (grasses)
- Type
- Perennial herbaceous grass
- Adult height
- Up to 60 cm
- Flowering
- May to June
- Foliage
- Deciduous, tender green
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, down to -15°C
- Origin
- Europe, temperate Asia
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
This grass tolerates poor soils and transitional situations (partial shade, irregular moisture). Don't fuss over it: it gets temperamental in overly fertile ground.
The common mistake
Overprotecting it or mowing too early undermines its natural appeal and ground-covering ability.
The pro's trick
Wait until July-August for the first cut after flowering: you'll let seeds disperse naturally.
Seasonal watch
In very wet autumn, it can rot if drainage is poor: avoid areas with stagnant water.
Care
Exposure and climate
Soft grass prefers partial shade, though it tolerates full sun in cool, humid climates. It appreciates fresh, airy environments. Avoid areas that are too hot and dry in summer, where its growth slows.
Watering
Keep the soil regularly moist, especially during establishment and in dry periods. This grass prefers soils that don't dry out completely. Moderate but consistent watering is preferable to sporadic, heavy applications.
Soil and planting
Holcus mollis adapts to most soils, including acidic or poor ones. It tolerates heavy and wet ground well, where other grasses would struggle. Plant in autumn or spring, spacing plants 30-40 cm apart.
Pruning and cutting
Cut soft grass short in late winter or early spring, before new growth. This mowing stimulates dense and vigorous regrowth. You can also cut back in summer if the clump becomes too large or invasive.
Fertilising
Holcus mollis is not demanding in nutrients. An application of compost in spring is ample. Avoid excess nitrogen, which promotes disorderly growth.
Health and problems
This grass is robust and rarely prone to disease. In conditions of stagnant excess moisture, watch for root rot. It can become invasive in very wet environments; control its spread through regular cutting.
Did you know?
Holcus mollis, called soft grass or velvet grass, was historically a plague on European agricultural meadows. Farmers dreaded it because it grows vigorously in damp pastures, forming dense clumps that smother good forage grasses. Paradoxically, its resistance and adaptability qualities make it a valuable grass today for stabilising wet ground and creating ecological ground cover.
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
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- Purple moor-grassMolinia caerulea
- Reed canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea
- Common quaking grassBriza media
- Rough reedgrassCalamagrostis arundinacea
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.