Family
Poaceae
Botanical Name
ACHNATHERUM coronatum
Plant Common Name
Giant Needlegrass, Giant Ricegrass, Giant Stipa
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Upright, graceful leaf blades of giant needlegrass create billowy tufts across the landscape. A cool-season perennial grass that often is short lived, it's native to the rocky and gravelly soils -- especially chaparral habitats -- from the Cascade Mountains of central California southward into Mexico's Baja peninsula. The root system is fibrous.
This bunching grass forms a V-shaped clump with airy, medium green leaves. Leaf blades are thin and held upright and occur in the moisture and cool temperatures of fall to spring. By late spring, tall flower stems tower above the foliage. A long, narrow cluster of very tiny florets on each stem later produces sharp-pointed seeds with long, twisting awns. Summertime heat and drought kills the foliage to beige, but the roots survive to sprout new foliage in the autumn. New plants sprout nearby from dropped seeds, and perpetuate the loose colony of grass clumps over time.
Giant needlegrass prospers in coarse soils with excellent drainage, usually in non-acidic soil types. The plant needs little water and demonstrates high drought tolerance. While fleetingly ornamental, this grass is most often used as vegetation to reclaim disturbed sites where the dominant soil or construction fill is of poor-quality grit or rubble. The flower stems work well as cut flowers in fresh bouquets or as accent filler in dried arrangements.
Characteristics
-
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
8 - 11
-
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
-
Plant Type
Grass
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
-
Height
1'-4' / 0.3m - 1.2m
-
Width
3'-4' / 0.9m - 1.2m
-
Bloom Time
Late Spring
-
Native To
North-Central United States, Western United States, Northwestern United States, Southwestern United States, California, Canada, Mexico
Growing Conditions
-
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Well Drained
-
Soil type
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
Tolerances
Drought
-
Growth Rate
Fast
-
Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
-
Seasonal Interest
Spring, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
-
Flower Interest
Insignificant
-
Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
-
Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
-
Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
-
Fragrant Flowers
No
-
Fragrant Fruit
No
-
Fragrant Foliage
No
-
Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
-
Repeat Bloomer
No
-
Showy Fruit
No
-
Edible Fruit
No
-
Showy Foliage
Yes
-
Foliage Texture
Fine
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
No
-
Showy Bark
No
