# 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.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Wetlands
- **Also known as:** Hairy Grass, Tufted Grass

![Tufted Hairgrass](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424390/objects/5066.jpg)

## 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.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Poaceae

## 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

- **Tussock Fortress:** Tufted Hairgrass forms dense, tough clumps that help it resist trampling and stabilize soil, creating safe microhabitats for tiny creatures.
- **Wet Feet Wanderer:** Tufted Hairgrass can tolerate waterlogged soils and even occasional flooding, allowing it to thrive where many other plants cannot.
- **Metal Muncher (select types):** 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
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Red Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-deer) (*Cervus elaphus*) — A common forage plant for grazing animals.
- **Shelter:** [Field Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-hare) (*Lepus europaeus*) — Grazes on its leaves, especially young shoots.

## Traits

- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

## Collections

- [Grasses](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/grasses)
- [Grasses, Shrubs & Bushes](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/grasses-shrubs-and-bushes)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Explore with care and ask an adult if you’re unsure what to do.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Tufted Hairgrass?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Tufted Hairgrass?

30-150 cm

### How wide does Tufted Hairgrass spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Tufted Hairgrass?

0.3-0.6 cm

### When does Tufted Hairgrass bloom?

Late spring to summer

### Is Tufted Hairgrass edible?

No

### Is Tufted Hairgrass toxic?

None

### What is Tufted Hairgrass's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parfreys-glen-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Tufted Hairgrass: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tufted-hairgrass)