Shimmering stipa
Autumn is a time when ornamental grasses shine. Sue Fisher extols the qualities of her favourite – stipa
Ornamental grasses are invaluable, hard-working plants. They’re outstanding for long-lasting interest, creating movement, light, drama, sound and colour for the best part of the year. Of the many gorgeous hardy perennial grasses, stipa is the one I absolutely would not be without. Airy plumes dance and softly whisper in the slightest breeze and shimmer in sunlight, looking truly magical when backlit by the sun or silvered by frost.
The flowers (or ‘spikelets’, to give their proper name) appear in early summer and last for many months, bleaching to canvas tones in autumn and winter. While the giant golden oat grass (Stipa gigantea) tends to be the poster child for ornamental grasses, this genus offers species and cultivars in a whole spectrum of sizes.
The stipas we grow in UK gardens originate from all round the northern hemisphere, yet most have the common feature of being adapted to cope with drought thanks to their ultra-narrow leaves that minimise water loss. The two most popular species are the ‘little and large’ of ornamental grasses: dainty knee-high pony-tail grass or S. tenuissima, which comes from the southern part of North America, and towering S. gigantea, which hails from Spain and Portugal. Other delightful garden-worthy species come from Central and Southern Europe and South America, such as upright clump-forming S. calamagrostis, S. ichu and S. pseudoichu, which bear large fluffy plumes that gracefully arch on sturdy stems of medium height. While the range of stipa cultivars is small compared to miscanthus, some excellent named selections have been made as their popularity grows.
Stipas adapt to a wide range of planting styles. They’re perfect for the bang-ontrend naturalistic look, mingling with perennial Verbena bonariensis, echinops, veronicastrum, geraniums and sanguisorba, and spangled with bulbs such as alliums to create a jewel-like tapestry.
Being drought tolerant, stipas are great for gravel gardens and banks too. Smaller species are lovely repeat-planted in groups or drifts for which, handily, species such as S. capillata and S. tenuissima are easy to raise from seed so you can have dozens for plants for less than a fiver.
Stipas also work wonderfully well in a traditional mixed border of shrubs, roses and perennials, contrasting with flowers and lightening the blocky foliage of evergreen shrubs and conifers. ✿
Airy plumes dance and softly whisper in the slightest breeze