Deschampsia cespitosa 'Pixie Fountain' - Dwarf Tufted Hair Grass

Tufted hair grasses have been the mainstay in ornamental grass gardens for as long as I can remember. Now we have a new miniature, one which is just as pretty as its larger cousins. Most remarkable is that 'Pixie Fountain' is hardy all the way down to Zone 2 values. So with the very limited palette of the far north gardens Deschampsias are a welcome new addition.

Planted in mass and when in full bloom, Pixie Fountains can be a breathtaking sight. It is also very effective in that it can make other plants in the landscape stand out even more.

Description: cool season/semi-evergreen; clump forming
Foliage - dark green; narrow blades; 25-40cm (10-16") tall
Flowers - yellow-gold; 40-60 cm (16-24") tall; June-July

Ideal conditions: full sun to light shade; moist (even bog) fertile soil, but is happy with average soil; tolerates hot, dry conditions with ample water

Suggested uses: year-round containers; beautiful as an edging plant; especially effective when massed

Zone: 2-7 (find your zone; further info on plant hardiness)

Partner with: Calamagrostis 'Overdam' or 'Avalanche', Chasmanthium latifolium, Patrinia scabiosifolia

Season of interest: June to October

Form: spiked upright foliage with early nodding flowers

Recommended spacing between plants: 30-50 cm (12-20") why such a difference?

Drought tolerance rating: 2 (water to root depth once every 2 weeks); further info

Plant and divide: spring and early fall

Native to: Deschampsia cespitosa is native to moist habitats of the temperate zones of North America, Europe and Asia

Pronunciation: Deschampsia (deh-SHAMP-see-ah) cespitosa (ses-pih-TOH-sah)

More ornamental grasses

Compare Deschampsia cespitosa 'Pixie Fountains' to our other grasses in this handy chart.