Nassella tenuissima (Mexican feather grass)

Mexican feathergrass is native to Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, and Argentina. Increasingly popular as an ornamental grass, it is potentially invasive in some areas.

Plants: This grass forms clumps 1–2′ (30–60 cm) high and about 1′ (30 cm) around.

Leaves: Grass blades are 6–14″ (15–35 cm) long, almost tubular, tightly rolled, making the blades appear very fine, only half a millimeter in diameter.

Flowers: Feathery green flower clusters 6–12″ (15–30 cm) tall mature to silvery tan in color. The individual flowers each have a long, thin awn 2–3″ (5–7.6 cm) in length. Flowers appear from June to September.

Fruits: Mature fruits have a thin, light brown, terminal bristle that can reach 2–4″ (5–10 cm) long, creating a feather-like appearance.

Habitats: Somewhat moist to mesic, well-drained, sandy, rich loams in full sun to partial shade.

The tan-colored panicles of flowers are several inches long. · 8/1/2009 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine · ≈ 2 × 1′ (58 × 38 cm)

8/1/2009 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine · ≈ 3 × 2′ (95 × 63 cm)

2/24/2010 · San Diego (Quail) Botanic Garden, Encinitas, California

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Commelinidae	Dayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
Order	Cyperales	Flowering plants including grasses
Family	Poaceae	Grasses (but not sedges or rushes)
Genus	Nassella	Diminutive of the Latin nassa, “a basket with a narrow neck, a fish basket”
Species	tenuissima	Very slender

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Range: Zones 7-10:

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