Tufted hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa
 
 
Family: Poaceae Grass family
Perennial – up to 150 cm tall, spread 120cm
Flowering - June to August
Soil - Neutral to acid
Sun - Full sun to partial shade
 
There are many beautiful native grasses in Britain and Ireland besides gardeners’ nightmare species, couch grass Elymus repens and annual meadow grass Poa annua, and the ubiquitous closely-cropped, bright green lawn perennial rye grass Lolium perenne. Tufted hair-grass is one of several beautiful grasses suitable for gardens.  Common throughout Britain it grows from sea level to mountain areas but most commonly in marshy and rough grassland and damp woodland on heavy soils. It was first recorded by John Gerard in his Herbal in 1597.1. 
 
It has attracted several names including sniggle-grass and hassock-grass, the latter due to its former use as church hassocks.2.   It has been described as ‘a coarse, worthless grass…' 3. which relates to its low agricultural value. The leaves are narrow and pointed, and indeed coarse, but its tufted, tussocky habit together with striking silvery panicles in contrast to its dark green leaves, make it a wholly attractive plant and a handsome addition to the garden.
 
Tufted hair-grass can be grown from seed in trays, or sown directly within a wild flower seed mix designed for damp semi-shade of hedgerow or more open situations and or pond sides. It can also be bought as nursery-raised plugs or pot plants. Just one or two plants in a damp area will benefit not only the garden but a host of invertebrates with it.
 
More than 70 species of invertebrate have been found to be associated with tufted hair-grass4. from the tiny leaf mining fly, Cerodontha pygmaea to the plant hopper Muellerianella brevipennis, and gall wasp Tetramesa airae, to the more familiar – butterflies and moths. Tufted hair-grass is one of the larval food plants for five butterflies including the ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus and grayling Hipparchia semele, and for over 30 moth species including a micro moth, Caloptria pinella, and common wainscot Mythimna pallens, common rustic Mesapamea secalis, cloaked minor Mesoligia furuncula and small dotted buff Photedes minima.
 
Other grasses suitable for the garden and more shade tolerant are false wood brome Brachypodium sylvaticum (larval food plant for twelve grass-dependent butterflies and many moth species), wood melick Melica uniflora, and wood millet Milium effusum.
 
 
 
 
False wood brome Brachypodium sylvaticum            Wood melick Melica uniflora,          Wood millet Milium effusum.
 
 
References
 
1.Pearman, D. (2017). The Discovery of the Native Flora of Britain and Ireland, A compilation of the first records for 1670 species and aggregates, covering Great Britain, Ireland, The Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland.  p 175
 
2.9.Vickery, R. (2019). Vickery’s Folk Flora, An A to Z of the Folklore and Uses of British and Irish Plants. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. London.  p 675
 
3.Hubbard, C, E. revised, Hubbard, J C E. (1992) Grasses: A guide to their Structure, Identification, uses and Distribution in the British Isles.  Penguin Books. p 251
 
4.See the Biological Record Centre database                 
 
 
 
Page written by Caroline Ware.  Compiled by Steve Head
There are many beautiful native grasses in Britain and Ireland besides gardeners’ nightmare species, couch grass Elymus repens and annual meadow grass Poa annua, and the ubiquitous closely-cropped, bright green lawn perennial rye grass Lolium perenne. Tufted hair-grass is one of several beautiful grasses suitable for gardens.  Common throughout Britain it grows from sea level to mountain areas but most commonly in marshy and rough grassland and damp woodland on heavy soils. It was first recorded by John Gerard in his Herbal in 1597.1. 
 
It has attracted several names including sniggle-grass and hassock-grass, the latter due to its former use as church hassocks.2.   It has been described as ‘a coarse, worthless grass…' 3. which relates to its low agricultural value. The leaves are narrow and pointed, and indeed coarse, but its tufted, tussocky habit together with striking silvery panicles in contrast to its dark green leaves, make it a wholly attractive plant and a handsome addition to the garden.
 
Tufted hair-grass can be grown from seed in trays, or sown directly within a wild flower seed mix designed for damp semi-shade of hedgerow or more open situations and or pond sides. It can also be bought as nursery-raised plugs or pot plants. Just one or two plants in a damp area will benefit not only the garden but a host of invertebrates with it.
 
More than 70 species of invertebrate have been found to be associated with tufted hair-grass4. from the tiny leaf mining fly, Cerodontha pygmaea to the plant hopper Muellerianella brevipennis, and gall wasp Tetramesa airae, to the more familiar – butterflies and moths. Tufted hair-grass is one of the larval food plants for five butterflies including the ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus and grayling Hipparchia semele, and for over 30 moth species including a micro moth, Caloptria pinella, and common wainscot Mythimna pallens, common rustic Mesapamea secalis, cloaked minor Mesoligia furuncula and small dotted buff Photedes minima.
 
Other grasses suitable for the garden and more shade tolerant are false wood brome Brachypodium sylvaticum (larval food plant for twelve grass-dependent butterflies and many moth species), wood melick Melica uniflora, and wood millet Milium effusum.
 
 
 
 
Tufted hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa
 
Family: Poaceae Grass family
Perennial – up to 150 cm tall, spread 120cm
Flowering - June to August
Soil - Neutral to acid
Sun - Full sun to partial shade
 
         False wood brome                     Wood melick                Wood millet
   Brachypodium sylvaticum               Melica uniflora            Milium effusum
 
References
 
1.Pearman, D. (2017). The Discovery of the Native Flora of Britain and Ireland, A compilation of the first records for 1670 species and aggregates, covering Great Britain, Ireland, The Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland.  p 175
 
2.9.Vickery, R. (2019). Vickery’s Folk Flora, An A to Z of the Folklore and Uses of British and Irish Plants. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. London.  p 675
 
3.Hubbard, C, E. revised Hubbard, J C E. (1992) Grasses: A Guide to their Structure, Identification, uses and Distribution in the British Isles. Penguin Books p251
 
4.See the Biological Record Centre database
 
 
Page written by Caroline Ware.  Compiled by Steve Head
           Garden Wildplants
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