Common Name: silver hairgrass
Type: Ornamental grass
Family: Poaceae
Native Range: Himalayas
Zone: 6 to 9
Height: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Greenish white
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Drought, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil, Black Walnut, Air Pollution
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Best in infertile, sandy soils. Drought tolerant. Intolerant of heavy clay soils, wet soils and shade. Plant in a protected location in USDA Zone 5. Cut to the ground in late winter.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Koeleria argentea, commonly called silver hairgrass, is a short-lived, cool season, ornamental grass which forms dense tufts (typically 12-18" tall and as wide) of thin, silvery green blades which typically show more silver on the undersides, thus appearing two-toned. Flower panicles emerge greenish white in late spring. Panicles turn an attractive tan as the seed matures.
Genus name honors German botanist and grass expert Georg Ludwig Koeler (1765-1807).
Specific epithet means silvered.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. This grass may only live for 2-3 years, particularly if planted in the moist, fertile environment of a typical border.
Uses
Edging, massing as a ground cover, border fronts or rock gardens.