6 Drought-tolerant Stipa Grasses
Grasses can bring a dynamic quality to your garden with their feathery plumes that sway gently in the breeze. They add texture, movement, and a soothing sound. When backlit by the golden colours of sunrise or sunset, they create a truly magical spectacle.
If you are looking for low-maintenance grasses that can handle extreme temperatures and are drought tolerant, then the 6 Stipa grasses that I have selected for this article are an excellent choice.
Each type of Stipa grass has its special look and feel. Some are tall, some are short, some are soft, and others are stiff. Some are evergreen, others are deciduous, some are more upright, and others are more rounded and arching.
They also have some differences in their cultural needs, such as different tolerance levels to cold weather and drought.
I will walk you through all these differences by comparing them side by side. This information will help you pick the perfect Stipa grass for your yard!
But before that, you may like to check my plant ID cards, which contain key information for a selection of 70+ low-maintenance plants.
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Varieties of Stipa Grasses
The 6 Stipa grasses I selected are native to different parts of the world, but they are all adapted to grow in full sun and poor, well-drained soils. This makes them an ideal choice for low-maintenance gardens.
They are drought-tolerant, hardy and can tolerate most types of soils, from mildly acid to mildly alkaline.
These robust ornamental grasses can be very diverse:
- Foliage can vary from grey-green to dark green
- Flowers can come in various shades of silver-green to golden-brown
- Growth habits can vary from rounded and arching to upright.
- Size can range from small 70 cm (2.3 ft) to very tall 2 m (6.5 ft).
We can say there is a variety of Stipa grass for every preference.
All these grasses are great choices for low-maintenance gardens. They add texture and movement to the landscape. They can be used as solitary plants or planted in groups.
Stipa tenacissma (Esparto Grass)
Stipa tenacissima, commonly known as Esparto Grass, is a perennial evergreen grass with long, slender, arching grey-green leaves that form a dense tussock. During summer, tall flower stalks adorned with golden-green flower spikelets rise from the dense clump of foliage.
It is a very robust grass, hence the species name tenacissima, which means very tenacious. It is native to the South and West Mediterranean basin, specifically to Spain, Portugal, and North Africa.
- Height: 30 cm (1 ft) and 60-80 cm ( 2 – 2.6 ft) when in flower
- Width: 40 – 60 cm (1.3 – 2 ft)
- Hardiness: -12º C (10 ºF)
- Sunlight: Full Sun
- Drought-tolerance: Approx 6 months
- Bloom time: Summer
- Origin: Mediterranean Basin
Learn more about this grass in the detailed description of Esparto Grass
Stipa barbata (Silver Feather Grass)
Stipa barbata commonly known as Silver Feather Grass or Beared Feather Grass, is an elegant semi-evergreen perennial grass that forms an upright loose clump of thin green leaves that turn yellow in autumn and partially disappear in the winter. During summer, tall stems rise above the foliage, topped with delicate silvery white flowers with long silky awns that turn cream in autumn.
It is a hardy, drought-tolerant ornamental grass native to parts of the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Southwest Asia and extending to the West Himalayas.
- Height: 20 – 30 cm (0.6 – 1 ft) and 70 cm (2.3 ft) when in flower
- Width: 30 – 40 cm (1 to 1.3 ft)
- Hardiness: -12º C (10 ºF)
- Sunlight: Full Sun / Semi shade
- Drought-tolerance: Approx 5 months
- Bloom time: Summer
- Origin: Parts of the Mediterranean Basin, N Africa, SW Asia, W. Himalaya
Learn more about this grass in the detailed description of the Silver Feather Grass.
Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)
Stipa tenuissima, commonly known as Mexican Feather Grass or Ponytails, is a perennial evergreen grass with stiff, threadlike green leaves that form a neat, dense, upright to slightly arching clump resembling a fountain. During summer, silky, feathery spikes of silver-green flowers emerge slightly above the foliage, turning golden in autumn and winter.
It is a hardy and drought-tolerant plant native to Texas, Mexico, and Argentina.
- Height: 40 – 50 cm (1.3 – 1.6 ft) and 70 cm (2.3ft) when in flower
- Width: 50 cm (1.6 ft)
- Hardiness: -12º C (10 ºF)
- Sunlight: Full Sun
- Drought-tolerance: Approx 5 months
- Bloom time: Summer
- Origin: Texas, Mexico, and Argentina
Learn more about this grass in the detailed description of Mexican Feather Grass.
Stipa calamagrostis (Rough Feather Grass)
Stipa calamagrostis, commonly known as Rough Feather Grass or Spear grass, is a graceful medium-sized semi-evergreen perennial grass that forms a tussock of fine arched green leaves that turn yellow in winter. During the summer, tall stems emerge from the foliage topped with feathery panicles of silver-green flowers, which turn golden-beige over the months and into the winter.
It is a hardy, drought-tolerant ornamental grass native to the clearings in the mountains of Morocco, central and southern Europe, Central Asia to Siberia, and North and central China.
- Height: 50 cm (1.6 ft) and 1 m (3.2 ft) with flower
- Width: 60 – 80 cm (2 – 2.6 ft)
- Hardiness: -15º C (5º F)
- Sunlight: Full Sun
- Drought tolerance: Approx 4 months
- Bloom time: Summer
- Origin: Morocco, Europe, Asia
Learn more about this grass in this detailed description of Rough Feather Grass.
Stipa elegantissima (Feather Speargrass)
Stipa elegantissima, more recently classified as Austrostipa elegantissima, is commonly known as Feather Speargrass or Elegant Speargrass.
It is an attractive perennial evergreen grass that grows in an upright to decumbent clump with slender green leaves. In late spring to early summer, tall, slender stems emerge from the foliage, topped with airy, feathery seed heads that start greenish-white and mature to a golden colour, creating a stunning shimmering effect.
It is a hardy and drought-tolerant grass native to South West and South Australia.
- Height: 30 cm (1 ft) and 1m (3.3 ft) in flower
- Width: 1m (3.3 ft)
- Hardiness: -15º C (5 ºF)
- Sunlight: Full Sun / Semi shade
- Drought tolerance: Approx 5 months
- Bloom time: Spring, Summer
- Origin: Southwest and South Australia
Learn more about this grass in this detailed description of Feather Speargrass.
Stipa gigantea (Golden Oats)
Stipa gigantea, commonly known as Golden oats or Giant Feather grass, is a large perennial evergreen grass with long, slender, arching green leaves forming dense tussock. During spring and summer, tall flower stalks rise from the foliage clump, adorned with dangling spikelets of golden oat-like flowers.
This is one of the most impressive grasses native to the Mediterranean basin, specifically to Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
- Height: 50 – 70 cm (1.6 – 2.3 ft) and 2m (6.5 ft) with flower
- Width: 1.25 m (4 ft)
- Hardiness: -10º C (14 ºF)
- Sunlight: Full Sun
- Drought tolerance: Approx 5 months
- Bloom time: Spring, Summer
- Origin: Mediterranean Basin (Spain, Portugal, and Morocco)
Learn more about this grass in the detailed description of Golden Oats.
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What do Stipa Grasses look like?
Stipa grasses, commonly known as feather grass or needle grass, are ornamental grasses appreciated for their delicate, airy appearance.
The various varieties of Stipa grasses generally grow in dense clumps with fine, thread-like leaves, often displaying an arching growth pattern. Stipa tenuissima and S. calamagrostis tend to have a more upright form, while S. gigantea and S. tenacissima exhibit a more arching and prostrate habit.
The leaves are usually green, and some turn to golden tones as the seasons change.
The flower heads are feathery, often with long awns, as seen in Stipa barbata. They typically start silvery-green and change to pale gold as the seasons change. However, due to the pink colour of its flowers, Stipa elegantissima stands out with a pinkish hue.
They also vary in size, ranging from the smaller varieties like Stipa tenacissima to the larger ones such as Stipa gigantea.
The overall effect of Stipa grasses is elegance and natural beauty, which is why they are becoming so popular in low-maintenance gardens.
In the chart, you can see how the different parts of the selected Stipa grasses are compared.
Height and Width of Stipa Grasses
The height and width of Stipa grasses can range from smaller ones, such as Stipa tenacissima, S. barbata and S. tenuissima to quite large ones, like S.elegantissima and S.gigantea (as the name gigantea implies).
However, the plant size can be influenced by ecological factors such as weather, sun exposure, soil conditions, and fertilization. So, the actual size of your plants may differ from what is typically shown in the chart.
The form can also vary from rounded to upright.
Stipa Grass Bloom Times
Stipa grasses will bloom mostly in the summer. Some varieties start a little earlier than others, and the duration of the bloom time also varies a little.
Many factors affect flowering, such as temperature, sunlight availability, and soil fertility, so slight variations may depend on your garden´s environment.
But generally, the bloom times for the 6 selected species in this article are shown on the chart.
The flowers often last into the autumn and winter months, providing extended visual appeal well beyond their initial bloom time.
Stipa Grasses Cold Hardiness Compared
The hardiest Stipa grasses from my selection are Stipa calamagrostis and Stipa elegantissima.
However, most of the selected Stipa grasses will be quite hardy if you give them the right growing conditions, such as well-drained soil and little or no fertilization. They will only suffer in very wet and cold winters.
In this article, I have selected cold-hardy types because I always try to choose plants that are better adapted to weather extremes caused by climate change.
Nevertheless, some Stipa grasses are naturally tougher than others. Based on the hardiness chart shown here, you may choose the best ones for your garden, depending on your climate.
If you really like a variety that is tender in your region, you can plant it in pots and move it to a sheltered place in the winter.
Which is the Most Drought-tolerant Stipa Grass?
Stipa grasses are quite tough plants that can survive hot and dry weather for long periods and remain evergreen with showy blooms.
While all the selected grasses are drought-tolerant, some, like Stipa tenacissima (as the name “tenacious” implies), are exceptionally resistant to drought.
The chart uses the drought-tolerance code defined by Olivier Filippi (https://jardin-sec.com/), which I find very useful and correct based on my own experience.
Which is the Best Stipa grass for your garden?
I hope to answer this question with all the information I share in this article. The best stipa grass will be different for different people and different environments.
While some conditions, such as the plant’s size and hardiness, cannot be changed, you can adjust others, like soil and watering.
Steps to choose the best Stipa Grass for you
If you follow these steps, you will find the right stipa grass for you.
