European feather grass

Stipa pennata

In other languages: Vedergras (Nederlands) · Stipe pennée (Français)

European feather grass is a graceful grass of the steppes and dry, chalky grasslands of central and eastern Europe, reaching as far as Central Asia. It forms a narrow clump of thread-thin, grey-green, rolled leaves. In May–July the seeds appear, with spectacular, silvery white, feathery awns up to 30 cm long that arch over and stream in the wind like silk plumes. Once ripe, they blow away. It is a plant for a sunny gravel or rock garden with dry, chalky soil, where it creates a natural picture together with other steppe plants. The feathers are also lovely in dried arrangements.

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
0.6 m
tall, 0.3 m wide
Flowering
May–July

Key facts
Pruning months	March and August
Height	0.6 m
Native to Belgium	No, planted
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous
Flowering	May–July

Identify

European feather grass: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Narrow clump of leaves 30–40 cm tall, with flower stems to 60 cm.
Leaves: Thread-thin, rolled and grey-green.
Flowers: Inconspicuous flowers in May–July, followed by seeds with silvery white, feathery awns up to 30 cm long.
Seed: Each seed has a long awn that twists up when dry and unwinds when damp, so the seed drills itself into the soil.
Lifespan: Not very long-lived; it dislikes being moved or divided.

Flowering: May–July · Plants: April–May · Pruning: March and August

In your garden

Why grow it?

Spectacular silver feathers in early summer, unique among ornamental grasses.
Catches the light and moves in every breath of wind.
Ideal for a dry, sunny gravel or rock garden on chalky soil.
Copes extremely well with heat and drought.
Lovely in dried arrangements.

European feather grass: where does it grow best?

Full sun.
Poor, very free-draining soil: sand or loam, neutral to chalky. Gravel and limestone grit are ideal.
Dry: in wet soil or on heavy clay it rots.
Plant 30 cm apart, in groups or loosely among other steppe plants.

Light: Sun
Soil type: Sand or loam
Acidity: Neutral or chalky
Moisture: Dry
Size: 0.6 m tall, 0.3 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

Pasque flower: Purple spring flowers and silky seed heads, also a plant of dry, chalky soil.
Balkan clary: Blue-violet spikes at the same time as the silver feathers.
Wild thyme: Low, fragrant cushions at the front of the gravel garden.
Rock rose: Small yellow or pink flowers on the same dry, chalky soil.

Maintenance

European feather grass: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

Plant in April–May so it roots in well before winter.
Loosen the soil and mix in coarse sand, gravel or limestone grit.
Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot, or even slightly higher on heavy soil.
Plant 30 cm apart.
Water after planting, and after that only in long dry spells.
Mulch with gravel or grit.

Care

Water: Only in the first weeks after planting. After that it is not needed.
Feeding: Do not feed: it wants poor soil.
Tidying: In March, comb the dead leaves out of the clump with your fingers.
Spent stems: Cut them off in August when they look untidy, or pick them earlier for drying.
Leave it be: Move or divide it as little as possible.

Tip: Pick a few stems when the feathers have just fully opened and dry them upright: in a vase they stay silvery for months.

European feather grass: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and August.

When: Do not cut it short: comb out dead leaves in March and cut away spent flower stems in August.

How:

Comb the dead leaves out of the clump with spread, gloved fingers.
Only trim brown leaf tips; leave the green heart.
In August, cut the old flower stems off at the base.

Caution: Do not cut feather grass down to the ground: it recovers poorly.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed: Sow ripe seed in summer or spring in pots of sandy compost and keep it slightly moist. Plant the young plants out in April–May.
Division: Possible in spring, but often unsuccessful: it dislikes disturbance.

European feather grass: 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: make sure drainage is excellent, if necessary on a raised spot or in a rock garden.
Leave the old foliage until March; it protects the heart.
In a pot: keep it out of the rain and stand it on pot feet.

Diseases and pests

Rot: The clump turns brown and soft after a wet winter. Plant it in a drier spot with gravel or grit.
Disappearing: It is not very long-lived. Keep a few seedlings in reserve or sow some yourself.
Matted feathers: After rain the awns stick together; once they dry, they become airy again.
Few flowers: In shade or on rich soil. Move it to a sunny, lean spot.

Through the year

January: Rest. Make sure water does not stand around the clump.
March: Comb out dead leaves.
April: Plant.
May: Flowering begins. Plant.
June: Silver feathers. Pick stems for drying.
July: Last flowers. The seed ripens; collect it.
August: Cut off spent stems. Sow seed.
November: Leave the clump standing.

You and this species

Did you know?

The long awn on each seed coils up when dry and unwinds when damp: this is how the seed screws itself into the ground like a corkscrew.
In several central European countries feather grass is protected in the wild, because the dry steppe grasslands where it grows have become rare.
The Latin name pennata means ‘feathered’ and refers to the feather-like awns.

Garden plants · All species