This is a dense, upright, warm season perennial grass featuring flat narrow leaf blades. The foliage turns golden yellow in fall. The foliage and flower stalks typically break down and fall over in late fall, providing little winter interest. Cut any surviving foliage back to the ground in early spring (late February-March) just before the new leaf blades appear. It is slow to become established and prefers moderate to moist, cool site. Tolerates low fertility.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Clumping; Erect; Mounding
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Grows in a dense, low mound of basal foliage. Leaves are flat and narrow, turning golden yellow in fall. Breaks down in early winter. Moderate to fine texture.
Narrow purplish panicles in mid-summer held high above foliage that freely move with the wind. Modest flowering in hot, dry weather. Fades to a tawny yellow in fall, breaking off in early winter.