Tussock Grass (Deschampsia caespitosa)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −28.9 °C
Cultivation
Prefers a humus-rich acidic soil. There are several named varieties, selected for their ornamental value.
Propagation
Seed - sow in situ in spring or autumn. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame in spring, pricked out into individual pots as soon as it is large enough to handle and planted out in early summer.
Edible uses
Seed. No further details are given, though it is likely that the seed was ground into a flour and used as a cereal. However, the seed is quite small and its use would be rather fiddly[K].
Material uses
Plants form impenetrably dense clumps and when planted close together in drifts make an excellent ground cover.
Habitat
Damp woods and meadows, usually on badly drained clay soils.
Native range
Temperate areas of Europe, including Britain, Asia, N. Africa, N. America and Australasia.