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| Category: Grass |
| Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grasses) |
| Origin: New Zealand (Australasia) |
| Flower Color: Golden |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Synonyms: [Stipa arundinacea, Hort. Agrostis lessoniana] |
| Height: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F |
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Anemanthele lessoniana (Hair Grass) - A grass tussock forming grass from New Zealand that grows to 3 feet tall with beautiful orange-brown colored foliage and gracefully arching and feathery inflorescences in its native habitat. Although this plant can grow in full sun to deep shade, its beautiful orange coloring is most apparent in the full sun however in southern California, this plant does better in shade, where in generally remains green. In the shade garden it is an attractive grass, persists and reseeds, while plantings in full sun last but a couple years. Hardy to at least 15° F. This grass is native to the both islands of New Zealand and grows from north of Auckland south to Dunedin and Invercargill, growing from sea level up forested mountain areas and naturalized along roadsides. It is related to North American grasses such as Indian Rice Grass and the Needlegrass and has been called by many names; when we first started growing it in the early 1990s it was being grown in Europe and the UK as Stipa arundinacea, a name the British Botanist George Bentham ascribed to it in 1881 although it was first described in 1786 as Agrostis procera. Noting it growing in New Zealand gardens we followed suit but now note that The Plant List, a collaboration between Kew and Missouri Botanic Garden, now has it listed as Agrostis lessoniana, but notes that this name is still unresolved. Other common names include New Zealand Wind Grass, Gossamer Grass and Pheasant’s Tail Grass. This plant won the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 2004. We grew this plant in the nursery from 1994 until 1998 and thank Oratia Native Plant Nursery in New Zealand for the seed. We discontinued growing it because it failed to persist in our own garden in full sun and did not color up well in shade, so determined it was not a sustainable ornamental plant in California's mediterranean climate. As this plant comes from New Zealand and grow well in the British Isles it is likely better suited to coastal northern California, Oregon and Washington.
This information about Anemanthele lessoniana displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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