Schottland Hair Grass
Deschampsia cespitosa 'Schottland'
Plant Height: 30 inches
Flower Height: 4 feet
Spread: 24 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 3b
Description:
A compact and ornamental grass perfect for small gardens, borders or containers; airy yellow flowers rise above green grassy foliage in the early summer months; a perfect way to add fine texture to landscapes
Ornamental Features
Schottland Hair Grass is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. The gold seed heads are carried on showy plumes which fade to coppery-bronze over time, which are displayed in abundance from early to late fall. It features delicate spikes of yellow flowers rising above the foliage from early to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its grassy leaves remain green in color throughout the year.
Landscape Attributes
Schottland Hair Grass is an open herbaceous evergreen perennial grass with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Schottland Hair Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Planting & Growing
Schottland Hair Grass will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity extending to 4 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Schottland Hair Grass is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.
