Tussock Grass

Tussock Grass 'Rustic' (Poa 'Rustic') is a compact Australian native tussock with fine bronze green blades, forming a soft mound about 60cm tall and 60cm wide. It gives movement and texture without the bulk of a full sized tussock, and it is tough where it counts: frost, drought, salt spray, wind and periodically wet soil all sit within its range.

Why you'll love it

• A native that handles the hard spots. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant, salt tolerant and comfortable with wet feet, which is a rare combination.
• Fine bronze green texture. The narrow blades catch light and move in a breeze, softening the hard edges of paving, rock and rendered walls.
• Compact enough to use in numbers. At 60cm each way it stays in scale where a larger tussock would take over a suburban bed.
• Pet friendly, bird friendly, almost no work. Not toxic to cats or dogs, good shelter for small birds, and a shear every couple of years is the whole program.

Where it works best

Mass planting and groundcover. Plant 50cm apart in drifts and the clumps knit into a continuous textured layer within two seasons. This is the most effective way to use it, and the cheapest per square metre.

Borders and edging. A single row at 50cm spacing softens a path or driveway edge, and it holds its shape rather than flopping the way long lawn grasses do.

Coastal gardens and rockeries. Salt and wind tolerance make it a genuine coastal plant, and the compact mound suits pockets between rocks where soil is shallow.

Growing Tussock Grass 'Rustic' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the best colour and the tightest clump. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, which covers most of the settled country. The wet tropics sit outside its range.

Soil. Wet feet tolerance sets it apart from most ornamental grasses: ground that stays damp for days after rain will not kill it. Work compost through thin sandy ground first, then mulch 50mm deep while plants fill in.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then it runs on rainfall with a deep soak through long dry spells. A light native slow release fertiliser in early spring is plenty, since overfed grasses grow soft and flop.

Pruning. Nothing at all for the first year or two. When the centre starts to look thatchy, shear the clump back to about 100mm in late winter and it reshoots quickly.

What to expect when it arrives

This grass is sold as tube stock: small plants, usually a young clump about the size of your hand. That is the right way to buy something you will use fifty of.

Expect a slow first few months while roots go down, then rapid filling out through the first warm season. A tube planted in spring reads as a proper tussock by the following autumn. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, with our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing with ornamental grasses
• Browse the full grasses and strappy leaf range
• Companions from the Australian native plant range
• More plants for coastal gardens

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 50cm spacing you need four plants per square metre. That closes into continuous cover in about two seasons, and tighter spacing costs more without closing much faster.

Is it safe for dogs and cats?

Yes, it is not toxic to either. It also stands up to pets moving through a bed, though it is not a lawn substitute for a dog run.

Do I need to cut it back every year?

No. Leave it alone until the clump looks thatchy in the centre, usually every second or third year, then shear it to about 100mm in late winter.

Will it grow in shade?

Full sun is where it belongs. The bronze tones and the tight mound both depend on it, and in shade the clump opens out and reads plain green.