Stipa Elegantissima
Stipa Elegantissima
Tall Feather Grass
Available for dispatch from May
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Organic Stipa Elegantissima Ornamental Grass
🌿 This organic Stipa Elegantissima, also known as tall feather-grass or Austrostipa elegantissima, is a stunning ornamental grass that adds texture, movement and grace to any garden. It has upright clumps of slender, silver-green foliage, topped with feathery flower heads in summer, that sway gently in the slightest breeze. In late summer, the plant turns a beautiful buff colour, creating a striking contrast with other plants.
🌞 Features:
Hardy and drought-tolerant
Low maintenance and easy to grow
Provides food and shelter for birds
Adds height and interest to borders and containers
Creates a soft and airy effect in the garden
🌱 Flowers:
Stipa Elegantissima produces delicate, fluffy flower heads that emerge from the tips of the stems in summer. The flowers are creamy-white, tinged with pink or purple, and have long, silky awns that catch the light. The flowers last for several weeks, and gradually fade to a golden-brown colour in autumn.
🌿 Habit:
Stipa Elegantissima is a perennial grass that forms dense, tufted clumps of narrow, arching leaves. The leaves are about 30 cm long, and have a fine, hair-like texture. The stems are erect, and can reach up to 1 m in height. The plant spreads by short rhizomes, but is not invasive.
🏡 Landscaping:
Stipa Elegantissima is a versatile and adaptable plant that can be used in various landscaping situations. It can be planted as a specimen, in groups, or in mixed borders with other perennials, shrubs and annuals. It can also be grown in pots, window boxes or hanging baskets, where it will cascade over the edges. It is an excellent choice for a gravel garden, a naturalistic or prairie border, a coastal garden or a contemporary urban garden. It can also be used as a ground cover, a hedge, or a screen.
🌸How to Maintain Stipa Elegantissima
Stipa Elegantissima is a low maintenance plant that requires very little attention. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil, but can tolerate partial shade and dry conditions. It does not need regular watering, fertilising or pruning, except to remove any dead or damaged growth. It is resistant to most pests and diseases, and deer and rabbits tend to avoid it.
🍂 Seasonal Interest:
Stipa Elegantissima provides year-round interest in the garden, with its evergreen foliage and changing colours. In spring, the new leaves emerge with a fresh, green hue, and the flower buds start to form. In summer, the flowers open and create a soft and airy display, that moves with the wind. In autumn, the flowers fade and the foliage turns a warm, buff colour, that lasts until winter. In winter, the dried flower heads and stems add structure and texture to the garden, and look especially attractive when covered with frost or snow.
🏡 Garden Uses:
Stipa Elegantissima can be used in various ways in the garden, depending on the desired effect. It can be planted as a focal point, to create a dramatic statement, or as a backdrop, to enhance other plants. It can be used to create contrast, harmony or movement, depending on the colour and shape of the plants it is combined with. It can also be used to soften hard edges, fill gaps, or create a sense of depth and dimension. Some of the plants that pair well with Stipa Elegantissima are:
- Lavender, rosemary, salvia and thyme, for a Mediterranean or cottage garden
- Echinacea, rudbeckia, helenium and verbena, for a colourful and vibrant prairie garden look
- Salvia, penstemon, agastache and nepeta, for a bee and butterfly friendly flower border
- Sedum, sempervivum, eryngium and achillea, for a drought-tolerant and low maintenance garden
- Heuchera, hosta, and ferns, for a shady woodland setting
- Grasses, such as stipa, pennisetum, calamagrostis and miscanthus, for a textural and structural garden
🌱 How to Care For Stipa Elegantissima
Stipa Elegantissima is a very easy plant to care for, as it does not need much intervention. Here are some tips on how to keep it healthy and happy:
-🌧️Water: Water the plant only when the soil is dry, and avoid overwatering, as this can cause root rot. Water deeply and infrequently, and let the excess water drain out. Reduce watering in winter, when the plant is dormant.
🍄 Fertiliser: Fertilise the plant only once a year, in spring, with a balanced, organic fertiliser, such as fish emulsion or seaweed extract. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers, as this can cause excessive leaf growth and weak stems.-
✂️Pruning: Prune the plant only when necessary, to remove any dead, damaged or diseased growth. Cut back the stems to about 15 cm above the ground, in late winter or early spring, before the new growth starts. This will encourage fresh and vigorous growth, and prevent the plant from becoming too woody or floppy. You can also comb through the foliage with your fingers, to remove any loose or dead leaves.
🌱 Propagation: Propagate the plant by division or by seed. To divide the plant, dig up the clump in spring or autumn, and cut it into smaller sections, each with some roots and shoots. Replant the divisions in well-prepared soil, and water well. To grow the plant from seed, sow the seeds in spring, in a seed tray filled with moist, well-drained soil. Cover the seeds lightly with soil, and keep them in a warm and bright place, until they germinate. Transplant the seedlings into individual pots, when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on until they are ready to be planted out.
🚫 Is Stipa Elegantissima Invasive?
Stipa Elegantissima is not invasive in the UK, as it does not spread aggressively or displace native plants. However, it can self-seed freely, and may pop up in unexpected places, such as cracks in paving, pots, or other parts of the garden. This can be prevented by removing the flower heads before they set seed, or by collecting the seeds and sowing them where you want them to grow. Alternatively, you can leave the seeds for the birds to enjoy, or let them germinate and enjoy the surprise of finding new plants in your garden.
🌍 Carbon Sequestering Plant
Stipa Elegantissima is a carbon sequestering plant, meaning that it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in its biomass. This helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Grasses, such as Stipa Elegantissima, are particularly efficient at sequestering carbon, as they have a high photosynthetic rate, a large root system, and a long lifespan. By planting Stipa Elegantissima in your garden, you are not only creating a beautiful and low maintenance landscape, but also contributing to a greener and more sustainable planet.
🐾 Benefits for Wildlife
"Similar to numerous ornamental grasses, Stipa Elegantissima plays a crucial role in supporting wildlife. It offers winter sustenance for seed-eating birds and offers a snug refuge for small mammals and insects. Combining it with other grassland plants like yarrow can establish a sanctuary that draws a wide variety of beneficial insects to your garden."
🌱 Safe for Insects
Want to bolster pollinators and insect populations? You can be confident that our Stipa Elegantissima is grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides - there are no harmful chemical residues that could jeopardise these essential creatures. By choosing this plant, your garden can flourish while providing a secure haven for insects. 🐝🌿
♻️ Sustainable Ornamental Grasses:
"We are committed to eco-conscious practices. Our plants are either potted in wood fiber containers or grown in wooden troughs, significantly reducing waste (given that approximately half a billion plastic plant pots end up in UK landfills annually). We take great care in their preparation and ensure they are delivered using carbon offset delivery methods to provide a seamless and environmentally responsible experience."
🌾 Buy 'Elegantissima' and let your garden bloom naturally. Begin your journey to a more beautiful, eco-friendly garden today! 🌾🌼✨
Plant care guide
Plant care guide
How do you plant ornamental grasses?
Dig a hole slightly larger than the rootball size, but no deeper. Most grasses like to stay on the drier side (check plant details), so if your soil is a bit heavier than ideal make the hole slightly shallower than the root ball so the surface of the rootball sits proud of the ground and ad organic matter around the circumference in a berm to sop water pooling
Water the hole and if the plant rootball doesn't seem moist pre-soak the hessian contained rootball until it is saturated (no more bubbles rise to the surface).
There is normally no need to add compost to the hole if you have an established garden with healthy plants already growing. If you have a newbuild property or poor growth to existing plans chances are that your whole fowerbed needs improving with organic matter. If you have heavy soil grasses some may struggle so consider topdressing plenty of organic matter over a few years before choosing grasses.
Place the rootball in the hole. You can remove the hessian sacking it came in, or just remove the staple/twine and open the top once it's in the ground so the plant is free. The roots will easily grow through and the hessian will decompose. Back fill the surrounding area with the dug soil. Do not firm the soil down hard! Roots need air and water and hard compacted soil prevents them from getting both.
Once planted water the plant in well and then water again whenever the soil starts to dry out under the surface for the first year. Be careful not to overwater.
Mulching with something like woodchips around the plant after watering will help the soil to retain the moisture in hot weather. Perennial's Grasses ofen have deciduous foliage that will die off in the winter - this can be left up as looks attractive and also provides a habitat for overwintering insects.
When to plant ornamental grasses in the UK?
Perennial plants can be planted out in the garden or in pots from spring, through the summer, to the autumn. During dry weather and especially during the summer much closer attention needs to be given to watering in the first year.
If planting in hot weather, cut the foliage and flowers back. Your new plant will not be taking up much water until established so may struggle if the leaves lose more water than the roots can absorb. For the strongest result do not allow to flower or at least to set seed in the first year.
Where to plant ornamental grass?
Check the plant info at the bottom of the page for the best place to position your new plant. If it prefers sun and you plant it in a north facing flowerbed next to a wall don't expect it to thrive or flower.
Pay attention to the soil. If it is heavy clay, incorporate organic matter such as compost to the soil before planting your grass, preferably to the whole flowerbed. This will improve the soil by buffering it's water and nutrient holding ability. It is preferable to not just plonk compost in the bottom of the hole as it will not improve the overall condition of the soil surrounding your new plant. Do not add a layer of gravel or grit to the bottom of the hole as this will merely cause the perched water table to be higher. It will not improve drainage.
How do you care for perennial grasses?
Cut back untidy foliage in the spring (you can leave the clippings on the flower bed to allow the nutrients to recycle into the soil). Divide every 3 to 5 years as the centre dies out and replant your extra plants! Perennial grasses come back every year. Some are longer living than others.
Should ornamental grasses be fertilised?
The vast majority of garden soils contain plenty of nutrients, but if your garden is in a newly built development there is a good chance a thin layer of topsoil has been added on top of infertile subsoil. if that is the case, compost, soil improver or well rotted manure can be spread on the flower bed and dug in, or alternatively for those short of time or energy, organic fertiliser such as our own special organic mix of bone meal, hoof and horn and vinaase that is an organic, sustainable alternative to the John Innes formula, can be sprinkled around the plant with some compost added to the planting hole.
Delivery £5 flat rate or FREE over £50 spend.
Delivery £5 flat rate or FREE over £50 spend.
I charge a flat rate of £5 for postage and packaging to all of Britain, including the Highlands and the Isle of Man, with free delivery for orders over £50. We are unable to send plants to Northern Ireland.
I use Royal Mail for our deliveries as they have the lowest carbon footprint per parcel delivered in the UK and actually tend to look after parcels rather than just chucking them over the nearest fence! This ensures that your plants will have the best care possible.
Please have a Safe Place set up if possible so your plants are not returned to the sorting office if no one is home to accept the delivery.
I try to dispatch plants twice a week and you will receive updates by text or email. In cases of extreme weather or if Royal Mail has a hiccup the delivery may be delayed but we'll keep you in the loop.
I'm unable to deliver to the Channel Islands or Northern Ireland.
The LAWNMOWER Guarantee
The LAWNMOWER Guarantee
Healthy plants & happy customers
Your plant will only be dispatched if I'm happy it is healthy. The nature of growing the plants in large troughs means that the root system will be trimmed before they are balled in hessian, and therefore, depending on the time of year, the top growth may also be trimmed to make sure the roots are able to supply the water and nutrients your new plant requires.
Pruning encourages new growth and this applies to roots as well so a pruned plant actually results in a stronger plant.
The LAWNMOWER guarantee.
If you're not happy with your plants for any reason, even if you've run them over with your lawnmower, just pop them in a box (the plants, not the mower!) and post them back to us within 1 year for a replacement or refund.
This does not affect your statutory rights.
For full details check out the Refunds and Returns Policy.
Sustainability
Sustainability
Eco-friendly business
Fed up with plants grown in plastic pots which are doused in herbicides and sprayed with synthetic chemicals by big nurseries who merrily burn through finite resources, fly plants in from abroad on jet planes, irresponsibly use peat and coir, kill any insect nearby with non-selective pesticides and generally only think of the bottom line?
So are we!
How we grow plants sustainably
Our plants are started in coldframes or inside our house, grown-on woodfibre pots or in reclaimed wooden troughs which are then carefully harvested and balled and burlapped (hessian wrap securing the rootball), before packing plastic free in a eco cardboard box from a certified B-corp carbon neutral supplier. Some plants are grown in 8cm woodfibre pots.
Sustainable and organic compost & fertiliser
Our Soil Association certified organic compost is bought in bulk without plastic bags from Dalefoot Compost, and consists of sheep wool, bracken and comfrey. This naturally feeds the plants for 12 months. If supplemental feeding is required we only use our own special blend of organic fertilisers (bone meal, hoof & horn and vinaase) which have been processed with solar energy.
Carbon Neutral business
The small amount of electricity we use is from renewable sources and we irrigate our plants with stored water we have harvested. Plus, we are using our house and land for more than one purpose, preventing further land use and utilising the sunk carbon cost of the building rather than creating more.
We have partnered with Carbon Neutral Britain to offset our emissions, and recognise that we are not in control of all parts of the supply chain so have fully offset scopes 1, 2 and 3 to take that in to account - so that's all emissions connected to our business, from the farts coming out of the back of the sheep, to the carbon dioxide from the delivery van outside your door.
We don't just offset and carry on, ALL the decisions we make work to reduce emissions - for instance we use Royal Mail to post our plants as they have by far the lowest carbon footprint per parcel delivered in the UK.
Stipa Elegantissima
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