Weeping alkaligrass
Puccinellia distans · Poaceae
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant weeping alkaligrass: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Family
- Poaceae (grasses)
- Form
- Perennial tufted grass
- Adult height
- 30 to 60 cm
- Foliage
- Semi-evergreen, fine and linear
- Flowering
- June to August, discrete spikelets
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, down to -20 °C
- Origin
- Northern and central Europe
- Soil type
- Alkaline, saline, compact, poor soils
Care
Soil and planting
Puccinellia distans thrives on alkaline, saline or degraded soils that few plants tolerate. It prefers well-drained and infertile substrates. Install in a sunny or semi-shaded position, in compact soil requiring no heavy amendment. It's an ideal plant for road embankments, wastelands or coastal zones.
Exposure and light
Expose Puccinellia distans to full sun for optimal growth. It also tolerates partial shade, particularly in warm climates. Its fine foliage benefits from good air circulation, which limits moisture-related problems.
Watering
Once established, this grass is very drought-tolerant and requires practically no watering. In pot culture or in the first year, water moderately during active growth periods. It copes well with salt spray and humid environments.
Pruning and maintenance
Cut back the tuft to ground level in spring (February-March) to remove old foliage and stimulate regrowth. No summer pruning needed. This grass requires very little maintenance and regenerates naturally each year.
Fertilisation
No fertiliser is necessary. Puccinellia distans thrives in poor soils and even prefers infertile substrates. Excess nutrients can promote excessive growth and reduce its soil stabilisation effectiveness.
Health and resistance
This grass is very robust and rarely affected by diseases or pests. Its natural hardiness and adaptation to difficult environments make it virtually immune to common problems. Simply check for the absence of prolonged waterlogging.
Did you know?
Puccinellia distans is nicknamed 'salt-tolerant grass' because it naturally colonises saline coastal zones and de-iced roadsides. It has long been used in ecological engineering to stabilise degraded soils and filter salts, particularly in urban areas. Its scientific name 'distans' means 'spaced apart', referring to the spaced arrangement of its spikelets.
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.