Tufted Hairgrass

Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P.Beauv.

Tufted Hairgrass is a tall grass that can grow in clumps. It loves to grow in wet areas and is great for helping the soil stay healthy.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Tufted Hairgrass forms dense clumps with narrow, dark green leaves. Tall, slender stalks rise above, topped by an airy, delicate flower cluster (panicle) that shimmers with purplish-green to golden-brown hues, making it visually distinct.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderPoalesFamilyPoaceae

Tufted Hairgrass

Interesting facts

Its airy flower heads shimmer in the breeze, sometimes called 'wavy hairgrass'!

Its dense clumps provide safe shelter for many tiny ground-dwelling creatures!

Its scientific name 'cespitosa' means 'tufted', perfectly describing how it grows in dense bunches!

This tough grass can live for decades, even over a century, in one spot!

Special abilities

Tufted Hairgrass forms dense, tough clumps that help it resist trampling and stabilize soil, creating safe microhabitats for tiny creatures.

Tufted Hairgrass can tolerate waterlogged soils and even occasional flooding, allowing it to thrive where many other plants cannot.

Some populations of Tufted Hairgrass have evolved to grow in soils contaminated with heavy metals, like a natural detoxifier.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-150 cm
Spread: 30-60 cm
Flower Size: 0.3-0.6 cm
Bloom Season: Late spring to summer
Is Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Wind

Ecological connections

eaten by

Red Deer

Cervus elaphus

A common forage plant for grazing animals.

shelters

Field Vole

Microtus agrestis

Provides safe refuge within its dense tussocks.

parasitizes

Tufted Hairgrass Rust

Puccinia deschampsiae

A specific fungus that grows on this grass.

eaten by

European Hare

Lepus europaeus

Grazes on its leaves, especially young shoots.

Traits

Grass-Like

These plants have long, slender leaves and often grow in clumps, looking very similar to grasses, even if they're not true grasses themselves. They bring a delicate texture to the landscape!

Shade Tolerant

Discover plants that love to live in the shadows, growing beautifully and happily even in spots where the sun doesn't shine all day long.

Rapid Growing

Watch these energetic plants grow super fast, quickly transforming spaces and adding lush greenery in a blink of an eye!

Wetland

These fascinating areas are covered by water for at least part of the year, creating a perfect home for unique plants and animals, like marshes and swamps.