Almost hair-fine blades
Very narrow leaves create a silky texture without heavy volume.
Stipa 'ponytails' 17cm
Normal price
€10,00
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Stipa tenuissima Pony Tails
It only needs sun, wind and… for you to leave it alone 🙃
- Hair-fine foliage
- 40–70cm in flower
- Green to wheat-blonde
- Prolific self-seeding
Stipa tenuissima Pony Tails is an exceptionally fine-leaved tussock that draws the wind rather than hiding it, even within a crisp contemporary composition. Hundreds of threadlike green blades rise from one crown and bend together as a soft wave. Airy inflorescences emerge green, catch a silver sheen and mature to warm wheat-blonde, giving every composition natural motion and light.
It commonly forms a tussock about 40–70cm high in flower and 30–50cm across, retaining green foliage or behaving as semi-evergreen where winters are mild. Its elegance comes with highly effective seed production and dispersal; in a Mediterranean climate it needs a controlled site, removal of every panicle before seed ripens and repeated monitoring around the planting for years.
Pony Tails is sold as a seed designation rather than as a single clone, so individual plants may vary naturally.
What makes it special
A dense basal tussock of hair-fine blades and long slender inflorescences that move as one wave.
Movement in a faint breeze
Fine culms and long awns bend together while the basal tussock remains visible.
Green to wheat-blonde
Young panicles are green, then catch silver and gold as they mature.
Why you will love it: it softens stone, gravel and strict lines with a continuous wave of light and movement.
In the garden & on the balconyPlacement & plant combinationsControlled urban site · full sun · mature spread 30–50cm
Movement under control
Use only in a controlled urban planting or pot, away from roads, coasts, streams and natural grassland. Allow about 40–50cm between tussocks and maintain access all around so every panicle can be cut before seed sets.
Wheat with violet
Silver-green and wheat-blonde threads gain depth beside compact violet flowers and grey-green foliage.
- Lavandula angustifolia — compact aromatic grey-green beneath the airy wave.
- Salvia nemorosa — upright violet spires against the slender curves.
- Achillea millefolium — flat flower heads sharing its preference for sun and drainage.
Care at a glance
Light
Full sun for a dense tussock, upright inflorescences and clear wheat-blonde colour.
Watering
Water until rooted, then deeply and infrequently; persistent moisture shortens its life.
Climate & hardiness
Roughly RHS H4 and often semi-evergreen in mild winters, but vulnerable to heavy winter wet.
Safety
Not intended for consumption; sharp awns can lodge in fur and mechanically irritate eyes, skin or paws.
Detailed careComplete care guideEight practical points: Position, Watering, Soil, Feeding, Renewal, Seed control, Monitoring, Safety.
Position
Choose full sun in a strictly controlled setting, away from roadsides and natural vegetation.
Watering
Water through the first season; once rooted, allow soil to dry between deep soakings.
Soil
Poor to moderately fertile, sandy or gravelly and freely drained, with no water around the crown.
Feeding
Avoid rich nitrogen feeding, which produces soft growth and more unwanted seed.
Renewal
Comb dead foliage out with gloves in late winter; cut lower only if the tussock has collapsed.
Seed control
Cut every panicle while still green, seal it in a bag and keep mature material out of soil and compost.
Monitoring
Inspect the surrounding area repeatedly and remove seedlings before they root deeply or flower.
Safety
Wear gloves and keep mature inflorescences away from children's and animals' routes because of the awns.
Development over timeFrom green thread to wheatThree stages from cool-season basal growth to silky panicles and winter retention.
Green tussock
Hair-fine blades renew densely from the crown in cool conditions.
Silver wave
Slender flowering culms lift green panicles that glint in the light.
Wheat-blonde ripening
Awns lengthen, panicles turn blonde and must be removed before seed disperses.
Mature habit & dimensions
established mature plantHeight 40–70cmSpread 30–50cmDense fine-leaved tussock
Mature Nassella tenuissima Pony Tails forms a dense basal tussock with separate hair-fine blades and slender flowering culms ending in long awned panicles. The side elevation conveys fluid movement without hiding the crown.
Form through time
two real statesCool green growthSilver to wheat-blonde panicles
Green renewalNew hair-fine blades fill the crown.
Panicles before seedInflorescences are cut before they ripen fully and turn blonde.
The drawings show a young basal tussock and mature awned panicles before their required removal.
What to expect after planting: The tussock retains its fine basal mass, lifts an airy veil of inflorescences and turns blonde as it ripens. Timely panicle removal is part of its annual cycle, not optional cosmetic trimming.
History & originCultivar originTrinius 1836 · Barkworth 1990 · Pony Tails as a seed designation
In 1836, Carl Bernhard von Trinius published the species as Stipa tenuissima. Its wild range extends from the south-central United States and Mexico to parts of Argentina, in open dry habitats where its fine panicles disperse seed efficiently.
In 1990, Mary Barkworth transferred it to Nassella, creating the name Nassella tenuissima used by current taxonomy. The older Stipa tenuissima remained deeply established in European horticulture.
Pony Tails became a seed-market designation for material sold as loose seed or in multi-seed pellets. It is not a documented single clone and has no stated breeder, parents, selection date or registered plant-variety right.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Blades like threads
Leaves are exceptionally narrow and often inrolled, reducing their exposed surface.
A moisture-driven awn
The long twisted awn responds to humidity changes and helps the fruit lodge in soil or fur.
Persistent seed bank
High output of small mobile fruits can build a seed reserve that needs monitoring for years.
Frequently asked questions
Six specific answers about the name, form, seed, placement and safe management of Pony Tails.
01Is Pony Tails a clonal cultivar?
Not on documented evidence. It is marketed as a seed designation, not a single clone with a published pedigree.
02What is the correct botanical name?
The accepted name is Nassella tenuissima. Stipa tenuissima is an older, still widespread synonym.
03How large does it become?
Allow about 40–70cm in flower and 30–50cm in spread, varying with age, water and fertility.
04Why does it need control?
EPPO highlights a risk of establishment in the Mediterranean. It produces abundant seed moved by wind, water, vehicles and animals, and can establish beyond the planting.
05How do I limit self-seeding?
Cut and seal every panicle before it turns blonde or releases seed, then inspect around the plant repeatedly.
06Is it safe beside pets?
There is insufficient evidence for an absolute safety claim. In addition, sharp awns are a mechanical hazard to eyes, skin and paws, so avoid animal routes.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.