Common Tussock Grass

Common Tussock Grass (Poa labillardierei) is the blue green native tussock specified when a planting has to survive both drought and periods of standing water. It forms a soft weeping clump about 1m tall and close to 1m across, topped in the warmer months with airy seed heads that move in the slightest breeze. Native to south eastern Australia, fast growing and pet safe, it is one of the most useful structural grasses going.

Why you'll love it

• Drought tolerant and wet feet tolerant. That combination is rare. One plant handles a dry summer and a waterlogged winter in the same bed.
• Movement and softness. Fine weeping foliage and tall seed heads give a planting motion that clipped shrubs cannot.
• Fast growing. A mass planting closes far more quickly than most natives, so a bare bed looks established inside a season.
• Australian native and pet safe. Local to the south east, good habitat for small birds and insects, and not toxic to cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 60cm apart for a dense sweep, roughly three plants per square metre. Because the mature clump reaches close to 1m across, the foliage merges into a continuous soft surface within a season or two.

Swales, slopes and coastal gardens. This is where it beats almost everything else. Strong fibrous roots bind soil on a batter or above a retaining wall, the plant is untroubled by water sitting around it after heavy rain, and wind tolerance suits an exposed block.

Growing Common Tussock Grass in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the fullest, most upright clump, though it accepts part shade with fewer seed heads. It grows in cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens and is frost hardy, so cold southern and tableland sites are within range. The wet tropics sit outside its comfort zone.

Soil. Almost anything. Clay, loam, sand and gravel all work, and unlike most grasses it does not need free drainage. Mulch 50mm deep, clear of the crown.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then leave it to natural rain in all but the longest dry spells. A native fertiliser in early spring speeds things up if you are closing a mass planting quickly.

Pruning. Cut back to about 15cm in late winter every two or three years. This is the one job the plant genuinely needs, because old leaf builds up in the centre and the tussock goes grey and thin without it.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, a 140mm pot sold in packs of ten. Each plant arrives as an established young tussock with roots filling the pot, and ten plants at 60cm spacing cover roughly three and a half square metres. That pack size suits how this grass is normally used, in drifts rather than as single specimens.

Grasses travel well. Foliage arrives folded and creased, and it lifts within a fortnight of planting. Because it is fast growing, expect a full clump inside about eighteen months. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a garden with ornamental grasses
• Browse grasses for landscaping
• See the full Australian native range
• Planning a coastal feature garden

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Sixty centimetres apart for a mass planting, about three plants per square metre. Mature clumps reach close to a metre across, so the foliage overlaps into a continuous surface without the crowns competing.

Will it cope with a spot that floods after heavy rain?

Yes. It is both drought tolerant and wet feet tolerant, which is why it is used in swales and rain gardens. Water sitting for a few days after a storm will not harm it.

Does it need cutting back?

Every two or three years, down to about 15cm in late winter. Leave it too long and dead leaf accumulates in the middle, leaving the clump grey and open rather than soft and full.