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Mexican Feather Grass

Nassella tenuissima

Also called Pony Tails, Texas Tussock Grass, Silky Thread Grass

Lawn grass Identified 1 time

About Mexican Feather Grass

This ornamental grass forms soft fountains of pale thread-like stems that ripple in the breeze. It thrives in sunny spots with sharp drainage and copes well with wind. In late summer and autumn, it turns this warm straw-gold colour.

Type: Perennial ornamental grass
Height: 18–24 in
Spread: 18–24 in
Sun: Full sun
Water: Low once established
Soil: Free-draining, gritty or sandy soil
Hardiness: Hardy to 5 °F
Flowers: June to September
Growth: Dense, weeping tuft
Toxicity: Not known to be toxic
Native to: North and South America

How to recognise it

Very fine needle-thin pale green to golden leaves
Silky plumes that shimmer and move in slight breezes
Dense fountain-like upright to weeping clump
Soft buff-coloured seedheads in late summer and autumn

Caring for Mexican Feather Grass

Watering

How often: Only during dry spells
How much: Light soak around the base
When: Morning
Tips: It hates soggy roots in winter. Dublin rain usually provides plenty of water.

Feeding

How often: None needed
What to use: Not needed
When: None
How: Do not feed this grass. Rich soil makes it floppy and shortens its life.

Pruning

When: Late winter, around February or early March
How: Rake out the dead blades with your fingers or cut back by half
Tips: Wear garden gloves. Running gloved fingers through the clump easily removes loose dead thatch.

Jobs it will ask for

Leave the dried stems for winter Keep the golden clumps standing through autumn and winter. They catch frost beautifully and shelter garden wildlife.
Check ground drainage around clump Make sure autumn rain does not puddle around its base. It rots quickly in sitting water.

Through the year

Spring

Comb out loose thatch or snip stems back slightly to make room for green shoots.

Summer

Enjoy the silky green and buff flower clouds billowing in the breeze.

Autumn

Let the tawny foliage ripen naturally. Cut back on supplemental watering.

Winter

Leave the golden mounds intact to insulate the crown and catch frost.

What to watch for

Rotting crown and dieback: Plant in sharply draining soil or grit. Never let winter water pool around the roots.
Flopping open in the middle: Move to a full sun spot and avoid feeding, which causes weak, floppy growth.

Written by Garden Rescue from photo identifications, in US units. Local advice from your extension service or garden centre beats a general guide.