Pony Tails Stipa is a feathery ornamental grass that grows 24, 36 inches tall, creating dense, textured mounds perfect for containers, garden beds, or indoor displays. This annual cultivar of Nassella tenuissima thrives in full sun across zones 5, 10 and reaches maturity in 90, 99 days, making it quick to establish its signature wispy, ponytail-like plumes. Native to arid regions, it demands very little water once established, rewarding low-maintenance gardeners with ethereal movement and soft, fine-textured foliage.
Full Sun
Low
5-10
36in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
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The feathered mounds this grass produces are remarkably dense yet delicate, creating visual interest without the bulk of heavier ornamental varieties. Pony Tails grows equally well indoors in large planters as it does in open garden beds, making it one of the most adaptable ornamental grasses available. Its preference for hot, dry conditions means gardeners in arid climates or those with poor, sandy soils will find it thriving where other plants struggle.
Pony Tails Stipa is grown as an ornamental grass, valued for its feathery texture and graceful movement in garden settings. It thrives in containers, large planters, and garden boxes where its delicate plumes can be appreciated up close, and it works equally well as an indoor potted plant where it adds softness and visual dimension to interior spaces.
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Sow seeds indoors in a warm location (50, 75°F) and transplant outdoors after the last frost. Indoor starting allows you to establish strong plants before moving them to their final positions.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date. Space plants 24 inches apart. Harden off seedlings gradually by exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7, 10 days before planting in their final location.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after soil warms and frost danger has passed, sowing at a depth of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. Keep soil consistently moist until seedlings emerge and establish.
Cut back dried or dead foliage in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Since Pony Tails Stipa grows as an annual, extensive pruning is not necessary; simply remove spent stems to encourage new, dense growth from the base.
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