Caterpillar host plant for more than 40 species of butterflies!
The name of this sublime native grass, perfectly sums up its appearance. From short tight green clumps, tufted hairgrass sends up tall golden seed heads, creating a fuzzy, impressionist appearance in late summer and fall landscapes.
This native grass is attractive enough to find widespread use in even highly manicured ornamental gardens -- both as a specimen plant -- and in mass plantings. Famed Dutch landscape architect, Piet Oudolf has made extensive use of this species, including in New York's famous High Line park.
Beyond ornamental uses, tufted hairgrass is a premier restoration species, tolerating partial shade, poorly drained sites, and even polluted soils and polluted air. It's an ideal species for use in rain gardens, bioswales, roadsides, streambanks and riparian area plantings.
Tufted hairgrass has wide distribution across the West, and in cool climate states, all the way East to New England. Across this range, caterpillars of dozens of species of butterflies feed on the foliage of this plant, especially skippers like the Juba skipper, a common Northwestern butterfly.
Approximately 8000 to 10,000 seeds (8 grams) - a nice amount to seed around 100 to 200 square feet!