The Stipa tenuissima (updated botanical name Nassella tenuissima) is an ornamental grass with a light, airy habit and a silky texture, much admired for the movement it brings to the garden. It forms fine, dense clumps with a soft appearance, which sway in the wind and create a natural, elegant effect throughout the year. In spring and summer it produces delicate flower spikes that enhance that sense of lightness and volume.
It is a particularly useful plant for low-maintenance gardens because it handles sun, heat and moderate drought well once established. It works very well in beds, borders, rock gardens and also in pots, combining beautifully with flowering perennials and Mediterranean shrubs. It adds structure without making the space feel rigid and is perfect for contemporary or naturalistic designs.