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Anemanthele lessoniana

New Zealand wind grass

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
RHS Plant Shop from £17.99 Sold by 73 nurseries

  • Other common names New Zealand wind grass
    bent grass

    pheasant grass
    pheasant's tail grass

    see more

  • Synonyms Oryzopsis lessoniana
    Stipa arundinacea

  • Family Poaceae

  • Genus Anemanthele are semi-evergreen grasses forming a clump of slender leaves of attractive, arching habit, with large, feathery sprays of tiny reddish-brown flowers

  • Details A. lessoniana is an elegant clump-forming grass with narrow arching leaves, becoming tinged with red or orange in summer and autumn, and airy arching sprays of red-brown flowers in late summer

  • Plant range New Zealand

Characteristics

  • Foliage Semi-evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H4

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect West-facing or East-facing or South-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained

  • SoilChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 0.5-1 metres

  • Ultimate spread 1-1.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 2-5 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in moderately fertile, medium to light well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerant of partial shade and heavier soils and temperatures down to around -10?C (14?F) for short periods

Propagation Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame in spring. Propagate by division from mid-spring to early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Garden Edging Architectural City & Courtyard Gardens Coastal Cottage & Informal Garden Gravel Garden Prairie Planting

How to care

Pruning Comb out dead and winter damaged leaves in early spring

Pests Generally trouble free

Diseases Generally trouble free

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RHS Plants Shop

Anemanthele lessoniana

New Zealand wind grass

Buy from £17.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £17.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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