Hairy melic

Melica ciliata

In other languages: Wimperparelgras (Nederlands) · Mélique ciliée (Français)

Hairy melic is a graceful, clump-forming grass of sunny limestone rocks and dry grasslands in Europe, from the Mediterranean to our own region. In May–July, straight stems with dense, spike-like panicles rise from a small tuft of narrow, grey-green leaves. They start greenish, then turn soft creamy white and fluffy thanks to the long, silvery hairs on the flowers. They sway in every breath of wind. The plant is short-lived but self-seeds readily in gravel, so it stays anyway. Gardeners use it in gravel and rock gardens and as a cut flower, fresh or dried.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Full sun
warm and bright
Moisture
Dry
tolerates drought
Legal basis
Sand or loam
neutral to chalky
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -25 °C
Size
0.5 m
tall, 0.3 m wide
Flowering
May–July

Key facts
Pruning months	March and August
Height	0.5 m
Native to Belgium	Yes
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous
Flowering	May–July

Identify

Hairy melic: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Small, loose tuft of 20–30 cm leaves, with flower stems to 50 cm.
Leaves: Narrow, grey-green and often rolled; semi-evergreen.
Flowers: Dense, spike-like panicles of 5–15 cm in May–July, greenish at first, then creamy white and fluffy.
Seed: The ripe panicles break up and scatter the seed; seedlings appear mainly in gravel.
Lifespan: Short-lived, often only 3–4 years, but it persists by self-seeding.

Flowering: May–July · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March and August

In your garden

Why grow it?

Soft, fluffy plumes from May, earlier than most ornamental grasses.
Perfect for a dry, sunny gravel or rock garden on chalky soil.
A lovely cut flower, fresh and dried.
Native to Europe and at home in a natural, lean garden.
Self-seeds gently in gravel and fills gaps by itself.

Hairy melic: where does it grow best?

Full sun; in shade it flowers poorly and flops.
Poor, free-draining soil: sand or loam, neutral to chalky. Gravel or grit is ideal.
Dry: wet soil in winter makes it rot.
Plant 25–30 cm apart, in groups of three to five for a light, moving patch.

Light: Sun
Soil type: Sand or loam
Acidity: Neutral or chalky
Moisture: Dry
Size: 0.5 m tall, 0.3 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

Wild marjoram: Pink flowers for bees and butterflies, on the same dry, chalky soil.
Wild thyme: Low, fragrant cushions at the front of the gravel garden.
Globe thistle: Blue globes and a bold shape beside the soft plumes.
Rock rose: Small yellow or pink flowers on dry, chalky soil.

Maintenance

Hairy melic: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

Plant in March–May or in September–October.
Loosen the soil; on heavier soil mix in coarse sand or gravel.
Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot, not deeper, or the crown will rot.
Plant 25–30 cm apart.
Water well after planting and in dry spells during the first weeks.
Mulch with gravel: it keeps the base dry and seedlings love to germinate in it.

Care

Water: Only after planting and in long dry spells during the first year.
Feeding: Not needed; rich soil makes it floppy.
Seedlings: Keep a few every year to replace old plants; pull out or move the rest.
Tidying: In March, comb dead leaves out of the clump or cut it back.
Cutting: Cut the plumes for a vase when they have just fully opened.

Tip: Mulch with gravel instead of compost: the base stays dry and seedlings come up by themselves, so this short-lived plant never disappears from your garden.

Hairy melic: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and August.

When: In March, cut back or comb out the old foliage. In August, cut off the spent stems if you wish.

How:

In March, cut dead leaves and old stems back to 5–10 cm, or comb them out with your fingers.
In August, cut off the spent stems if you do not want seedlings or if they look untidy.
If you leave them, it self-seeds and replaces itself.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed: Scatter ripe seed straight away in late summer on gravel or in a pot of sandy compost, or move self-sown seedlings in spring.
Division: In spring, carefully split a clump into a few pieces and replant straight away. Young seedlings do establish better, though.

Hairy melic: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

Hardy to about −25 °C: frost is no problem in Belgium.
Wet winters are the biggest danger: plant it in free-draining soil or in gravel.
Leave the old foliage until March; it protects the crown.

Diseases and pests

Rot: The clump turns brown and soft after a wet winter. Plant it in a drier, free-draining spot and mulch with gravel.
Flopping: On rich or moist soil, or in shade. Do not feed, and choose a sunny, lean spot.
Disappearing: It is short-lived: old clumps die after a few years. Always keep a few seedlings.
Too many seedlings: Cut off the plumes before the seed ripens, or weed out seedlings while they are small.

Through the year

March: Cut back or comb out old foliage. Plant.
April: Plant. Move seedlings.
May: Flowering begins. Cut plumes for a vase.
June: Full flower. Pick plumes for drying.
July: Last flowers. The seed ripens.
August: Cut off spent stems or let it self-seed.
September: Plant. Scatter seed.
October: Plant.
December: Rest. Leave the foliage standing.

You and this species

Did you know?

‘Ciliata’ means ‘fringed with hairs’: the flowers carry long, silky hairs that give the plumes their fluffy look.
If you pick plumes for drying before the seed is fully ripe, they break up less quickly.
The same genus includes wood melic from our deciduous woods, which wants exactly the opposite: shade and humus.

Garden plants · All species