Eriophorum vaginatum

RHS Plant Profile
hare's tail cotton grass

Other common names

canna down, common moss crops, hare's tail rush, plu'r gweunydd unben

Synonyms

Scirpus fauriei var. vaginatus

Aquatic Bogs Grass Like

A native sedge, common in the west and north of the British Isles. The neatest of the three native cotton grasses, forming dense tussocks of very narrow leaves on triangular stems. Spikes of yellowish, tufted flowers are followed by tidy, rounded, cottonwool seedheads

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed
Hardiness
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Cyperaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Tufted
Genus
Eriophorum are evergreen rhizomatous perennials forming spreading clumps of tufted, linear leaves, with solitary or clustered, ovoid black-scaled, silky-haired flower-heads, followed by conspicuous cottony white fruiting heads
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Occuring in wet, peaty, acid soils such as moorland bogs, and suitable for pond edges, bog gardens or other acid to neutral soils that are permanently wet

Propagation

Propagate by division of tussocks in early spring, ensuring each portion retains plenty of roots

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Wildflower meadow

Pruning

No pruning required, but deadheading can prolong flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free