Dwarf Grey Tussock Grass

Dwarf Grey Tussock Grass (Poa sieberiana 'Dwarf Grey') is a compact native tussock that holds a soft blue grey mound about 35cm tall and 40cm across. It is the grass to reach for when you want fine texture through a bed without the sprawl and annual mess of a full sized tussock. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and content in poor soil, it asks for very little once established.

Why you'll love it

• It stays small and stays neat. At 35cm by 40cm it keeps its shape at the front of a bed instead of flopping open the way taller tussocks do.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and untroubled by poor soil, so it lives on rainfall in most temperate gardens.
• Soft grey foliage that lifts green planting. The fine blue grey blades read as a cool contrast against dark shrubs, gravel and stone.
• Australian native and pet friendly. Native to south eastern Australia and not toxic, which makes it a sound choice for a family garden.

Where it works best

Mass planting and groundcover. Plant 30cm to 40cm apart for a continuous drift. At that spacing the tussocks knit together within two seasons and shade out most weed seedlings.

Borders, edging and rockeries. The low even habit suits a path edge or the front row of a bed, and it copes with the sharp drainage and reflected heat of a rockery.

Growing Dwarf Grey Tussock Grass in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It belongs in warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens, and takes frost without protection. Humid tropical and subtropical gardens are the exception, where the crown tends to rot through a wet summer.

Soil. Almost any free draining soil, including sandy and poor ground. Drainage matters more than fertility, so on heavy clay plant on a low mound.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A light dressing of slow release native fertiliser in early spring is plenty. Rich feeding produces soft growth that flops.

Pruning. Cut the clump back to about 10cm every second or third winter to strip old thatch. Fresh blades come away quickly in spring.

What to expect when it arrives

This grass is sold as tube stock, so plants arrive as small young clumps a few centimetres across. That is how grasses of this type are best planted: the fine roots take hold quickly and the plant grows into your soil rather than sitting in a pot shaped root ball. Expect a filled tussock in one season and a closed drift by the second.

Tubes travel well because the foliage is fine and there is little to bruise. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our guide to designing with ornamental grasses.
• Compare the range of grasses and strappy leaf plants.
• Browse other plants suited to mass planting.
• See the wider list of plants safe for pets.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Space plants 30cm to 40cm apart. That lets each tussock reach full width and meet its neighbours, giving a continuous drift without crowding.

Does it need cutting back every year?

No. Every second or third winter is enough. Cut the clump to about 10cm to remove old thatch, then leave it alone.

Will it cope with a humid summer?

Not reliably. This is a plant for temperate, Mediterranean and dry inland conditions, and long humid spells with summer rain will rot the crown. In the subtropics and tropics choose a lomandra or dianella instead.