Photo: Photo by Flickr user hortulus; heavily cropped by Hesperian, so don't blame hortulus for the poor fr, CC BY 2.0 · source
Pruning guide · Ornamental grass
Pheasant's tail grass: when and how to prune
Anemanthele lessoniana
Pheasant's tail grass is best pruned in March–April.
| Pruning months | March–April |
|---|---|
| Flowering | July–September |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Pheasant's tail grass: when to prune it?
It is not cut back. In March–April, simply comb the dead leaves out of the clump.
Pheasant's tail grass: how to prune it?
- Run gloved hands or a small rake through the clump to remove loose, dead leaves.
- Cut off old, spent panicles once they no longer look good.
- Never cut an evergreen grass down hard: it recovers poorly and may even die.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: March–April.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- If you only cut back in March–April, the old stems stand through the winter: insects overwinter in them and birds eat the seeds.
Caution: The orange winter foliage is not dead: leave it, as it is the main ornamental feature of the plant.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Pheasant's tail grass · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.