Tufted Hairgrass

Deschampsia cespitosa

Modest

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height: 1 foot 8 inches–3 feet
Spread: 1–2 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Space about 1.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 44 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Semi-evergreen
Bloom: Mid summer
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

Recorded in 4 Virginia counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

1CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Deschampsia

Apamea sordensBordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Deschampsia

Pooecetes gramineusVesper Sparrow
Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
Spizella pusillaField Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–9b
Flower color: Cream, yellow, gray/silver, green or purple
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Grows in clumps
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

What its natural habitat tells you

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Mid summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Cream, yellow, gray/silver, green or purple” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Grows in clumps” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “1 foot 8 inches–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Semi-evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “1–2 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Deschampsia caespitosa

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S1
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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