Kingsdale™ Tussock Grass

Kingsdale Tussock Grass (Poa poiformis 'PP500') is a compact blue native grass for exposed sites. It forms a soft arching tussock about 45cm high and 45cm wide of vivid blue grey foliage, smaller and neater than the older Eskdale form, and takes frost, drought, wind and salt in its stride. Ozbreed selected it for the colour, and a drift of it reads as a soft blue haze from across the garden.

Why you'll love it

• Real blue foliage. The arching leaves are a clear blue grey all year, a colour few Australian natives offer, and it contrasts sharply with green lomandras and dark shrubs.
• Built for exposed ground. Coastal positions, windy ridges and open slopes suit it. Poa poiformis is a coastal tussock by origin.
• Erosion control. The fibrous root system binds sloping sites, so it does a job as well as looking good.
• Frost hardy and drought tolerant. Once established it needs little from you in a southern or inland garden.
• Compact. At 45cm it stays in scale with a small garden where Eskdale would crowd the bed.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 40cm apart in offset rows, four to ten plants per square metre. The tussocks merge into a continuous blue sweep within two seasons.

Borders and edging. A single row at 25cm to 50cm spacing, two to four plants per metre, gives a soft edge to a path or a driveway.

Slopes and coastal banks. The same 40cm grid across an exposed bank holds the soil and shrugs off salt wind.

Growing Kingsdale Tussock Grass in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It is recommended for New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia, so warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens suit it. In Queensland it is only for the drier, cooler districts such as Toowoomba, and then with some shade; humid coastal summers rot the centre of the tussock.

Soil. A wide variety of soils suit it, from sand to clay, as long as water does not sit for weeks. Mulch with a chunky mulch that keeps the crown dry.

Water and feed. Water as required for the first 8 to 13 weeks until established, then only in long dry spells. A slow release fertiliser in spring, autumn or both keeps the colour strong.

Pruning. Trim the whole tussock back to 15cm above the ground once a year in autumn or late winter. Skip it and the plant browns in the middle and looks tired by its third summer; keep it up and it stays fresh for years.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Kingsdale Tussock Grass in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and in 200mm pots in packs of 6. The 140mm packs are the economical choice for a bank or a long border and establish fast in cool soil; the 200mm plants give an immediate blue presence. Plants travel upright and push new leaves within weeks in spring and autumn. Fine seed heads appear above the foliage in the warmer 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

• Browse the full tussock grass range
• See every Ozbreed plant we stock
• More coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Grasses and strappy leaf plants for landscaping

Common questions

Will it grow on the humid Queensland coast?

We do not recommend it there. Ozbreed lists Queensland only for non humid regions such as Toowoomba, with some shade. In humid subtropical gardens choose a lomandra or dianella instead.

Do I have to cut it back?

Yes, once a year to 15cm in autumn or late winter. It is the one job this grass asks of you, and it is the difference between a fresh blue tussock and a brown one.

How is it different from Eskdale?

Kingsdale is smaller, about 45cm each way, with the same blue arching foliage. Choose it where Eskdale would be too large for the bed.