Stipa tenuissima Angel Hair

Wild garden enthusiasts are familiar with Stipa tenuissima, also known as Nassella tenuissima. Its common name is angel hair. This grass forms a handful of tangled hairs, then it grows and expands in two seasons, becoming an incredible fountain with fresh green leaves that ripple at the slightest breeze, before transforming in summer into silky, blonde, and light tufts. The wind carves waves in it, while the sun drowns it in light. A wonderful perennial, impervious to difficult conditions and clinging to poor, dry soils. It will find its place in all gardens, from the wildest to the most romantic, blending very well in a contemporary style. A must-have, which often self-seeds in the most unexpected areas and grows very well in pots.

Stipa tenuissima is a short-lived herbaceous perennial belonging to the Poaceae family, like many grasses. It is native to Central America, from Argentina to Mexico, and extends up to Texas. This plant grows in small clumps of very fine cylindrical and linear leaves in a beautiful spring green colour, fanning out like a fountain. As an adult, it will measure 40 to 50cm (16 to 20in) in all directions two years after sowing. The foliage is evergreen. In summer, long inflorescences appear in soft and silky pale blonde spikes, turning golden then bronze in autumn, slightly curved towards the ground. The seeds form at the end of summer on the spikes and clump together in the plant, forming a somewhat rough mass like a handful of horsehair or tow (Stipa comes from the Greek word stipê, which means tow). They are dispersed by the wind and ensure the species' longevity, in the garden and in nature.

Hardy down to -15°C (5°F) in well-drained soil, Stipa tenuissima is perfect for dry gardens and areas where the soil is poor, sandy, or rocky. This grass is appreciated for the extreme softness of its silky tufts and its decorative aspect for a good part of the year. It accompanies flowering and light perennials, such as linarias, penstemons, field daisies, Aster cordifolius, scabious, as well as annual poppies and damask nigellas. The dark foliage of Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb', Cotinus 'Royal Purple', or Physocarpus 'Diabolo' in cooler soil will bring out its blonde plumes. Plant it in a place where you can touch it. Along a pathway, along a patio, or in a large pot, grouping several plants. Choose a location illuminated by the sun in the late afternoon: a border of Stipa tenuissima swept by the wind and crossed by twilight always offers a fascinating spectacle.