''Deschampsia cespitosa'', commonly known as tufted hairgrass or tussock grass,
is a
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...
tufted plant in the grass family
Poaceae. Distribution of this species is widespread including the eastern and western coasts of North America, parts of South America, Eurasia and Australia.
The species is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant, and numerous
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s are available. The cultivars 'Goldschleier' and 'Goldtau' have gained the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...
's
Award of Garden Merit.
It is a larval host to the
Juba skipper and the
umber skipper.
Description
A distinguishing feature is the upper surface of the leaf blade which feels rough and can cut in one direction, but is smooth in the opposite direction. The dark green upper sides of the leaves are deeply grooved.
It can grow to tall, and has a long, narrow, pointed ligule. It flowers from June until August.
It can be found on all types of grassland, although it prefers poorly drained soil. It forms a major component of the
British NVC community MG9 - ''
Holcus lanatus'' to ''Deschampsia cespitosa''
mesotrophic grasslands. It can exist up to altitudes of 4000 ft.
[Grasses by C E Hubbard, 1978, published by Penguin books] Typical native grass associates in the western North American
coastal prairies, such as the
California coastal prairie, are ''
Festuca californica'', ''
Festuca idahoensis
''Festuca idahoensis'' is a species of grass known by the common names Idaho fescue and blue bunchgrass. It is native to western North America, where it is widespread and common. It can be found in many ecosystems, from shady forests to open plai ...
'', ''
Danthonia californica
''Danthonia californica'' is a species of grass known by the common name California oatgrass. This plant is native to two separate regions of the Americas, western North America from California to Saskatchewan, and Chile.
Description
''Danthonia ...
'', and ''
Nassella pulchra
''Nassella pulchra'', basionym ''Stipa pulchra'', is a species of grass known by the common names purple needlegrass and purple tussockgrass. It is native to the U.S. state of California, where it occurs throughout the coastal hills, valleys, an ...
''.
Subspecies
* ''Deschampsia cespitosa'' subsp. ''cespitosa'' (synonyms: ''Deschampsia bottnica'' (Wahlenb.) Trin.; ''Deschampsia littoralis'' (Gaudin) Reut.)
Gallery
Image:Deschampsia cespitosa seed.jpg , Seed
Image:Deschampsia cespitosa ligula.jpeg , Ligule is long and pointed
See also
*
Ornamental grass
Ornamental grasses are grasses grown as ornamental plants. Ornamental grasses are popular in many colder hardiness zones for their resilience to cold temperatures and aesthetic value throughout fall and winter seasons.
Classifications
Along ...
References
External links
*''Jepson Manual''. 1993
Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Deschampsia cespitosa''USDA Plants Profile for ''Deschampsia cespitosa''UC Photos gallery of ''Deschampsia cespitosa''
cespitosa
Bunchgrasses of North America
Bunchgrasses of Asia
Bunchgrasses of Europe
Bunchgrasses of South America
Grasses of North America
Grasses of Oceania
Grasses of Canada
Grasses of the United States
Flora of Australia
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Taxa named by Palisot de Beauvois
Garden plants of North America
Garden plants of South America
{{Pooideae-stub