Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldtau'
tufted hair grass (syn. D. Golden Dew)
A superbly versatile, mound-forming, evergreen grass, Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldtau' thrives in both sun and light shade. Silvery, reddish-brown flower...
The finest textured seed head of all: this feathery grass wears a golden tawny shimmer by July and it’s the front of border grass for midsummer
Plant description
Silvery, reddish-brown flower spikes appear from early to late summer above dense mounds of slender, arching, mid-green leaves that persist well into autumn. The feathery inflorescences of this elegant, award-winning, ornamental grass mature to a soft golden yellow and shimmer like a golden cloud as it catches the light.
Compact and easy-to-grow, it looks gorgeous spot-planted among perennials, in groups towards the front of a border, or in a rock garden.
Eventual height & spread
Flowering period
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Plant features
Position
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth
Average
Soil
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness
Fully hardy
How to care for Deschampsia cespitosa Goldtau:
Regular watering is crucial during the establishment phase, after which the grass becomes more drought tolerant though Tufted Hairgrass performs best with consistent soil moisture.
Remove the faded flower-heads in late winter before new growth appears. If the foliage has also started to look tatty at that time of the year, then this too can be cut back hard.
In warm areas the plant has a tendency to self-seed freely. Where this is the case remove unwanted seedlings as part of routine border maintenance.
GOES WELL WITH
Prairie
Indulge a passion for ornamental grasses by creating a prairie- or meadow-style garden. They can be richly planted with native wildflowers or a selection of complementary perennials and self-seeding annuals to create a naturalistic planting effect.
Read full articleDecorative seed heads for the autumn garden
As the days shorten, the autumn sun sinks a little lower every day and begins to backlight the borders, picking up detail and silhouette. There’s plenty to enjoy,- seed heads, in autumnal shades of brown and silver take centre stage, often lasting until m
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