Anemanthele Lessoniana or Pheasant's Tail Grass

Anemanthele Lessoniana, commonly known as Pheasant's Tail Grass or New Zealand Wind Grass, is an elegant evergreen to semi-evergreen ornamental grass prized for its cascading foliage and changing seasonal colours. Long, slender leaves form graceful arching mounds of fresh green, developing beautiful orange, copper and red tones as the season progresses. During summer, airy sprays of fine flowers rise above and around the foliage, adding movement and a soft, almost shimmering quality to the plant. Recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, Anemanthele Lessoniana is a versatile and easy-to-grow grass for borders, naturalistic planting and containers, with the added advantage of tolerating partial shade.

Anemanthele Lessoniana forms a dense fountain of narrow, arching leaves that move readily in the breeze. The foliage begins predominantly green. As summer progresses, individual leaves become flushed with warm shades of orange, bronze, copper and red, creating a mixture of colours reminiscent of a pheasant's plumage.

The effect becomes even more pronounced towards autumn, giving this ornamental grass a remarkably long season of interest. Rather than producing the rigid vertical structure of some grasses, New Zealand Wind Grass has a softer, flowing silhouette, with the leaves cascading naturally outwards towards the ground.

In late summer, fine arching flower panicles appear amongst and above the foliage. These carry numerous small spikelets that initially have purplish-green to reddish-brown tones before becoming paler as they mature. The flowers are relatively subtle individually, but en masse they create a delicate haze around the plant and accentuate its movement.

Native to New Zealand, Anemanthele Lessoniana was previously known botanically as Stipa Arundinacea, a name that is still frequently encountered in gardens and older horticultural literature. Oryzopsis Lessoniana is another botanical synonym. It is a true ornamental grass belonging to the Poaceae family.

For companion planting, Pheasant's Tail Grass works particularly well with plants that provide a stronger contrasting shape, such as dark-leaved Heuchera and upright ferns in partially shaded planting. In sunnier schemes, its coppery foliage can also be used as a soft transition between flowering perennials and more architectural plants.

Height and Spread of Anemanthele Lessoniana

Anemanthele Lessoniana ultimately forms a substantial but graceful mound approximately 1 metre high and 1 metre across when mature, including its arching foliage and flower stems. Its cascading habit means that sufficient space should be allowed for the leaves to develop naturally rather than being crowded by neighbouring plants.

Despite its eventual size, New Zealand Wind Grass has an airy appearance and does not create the visual heaviness of a dense shrub of comparable dimensions.

How Hardy is Anemanthele Lessoniana?

Anemanthele Lessoniana is hardy through most of the UK in suitable conditions. In colder or particularly exposed gardens, a sheltered position is advisable.

Pheasant's Tail Grass grows in full sun or partial shade and is unusually useful among ornamental grasses because it retains good garden value in lighter shade. It is adaptable to chalk, clay, loam and sandy soils, provided conditions are reasonably well drained.

The richest orange and red foliage colours generally develop where plants receive good light. However, its ability to perform in partial shade makes Anemanthele Lessoniana particularly valuable where a softer grass effect is required outside an entirely sunny border.

Uses in Garden and Landscape

New Zealand Wind Grass is highly versatile and can be used in contemporary, cottage and naturalistic gardens. Its fountain-like foliage is particularly effective beside paths, where the leaves can arch gently towards hard landscaping, or positioned where movement from the wind can be appreciated.

Anemanthele Lessoniana also works well amongst herbaceous perennials, in gravel-style planting and on banks and slopes. Repeated groups of Pheasant's Tail Grass can create rhythm through a larger border, while an individual mature plant makes an attractive textural feature in a smaller garden.

Its changing foliage colour is particularly valuable in late-season planting. The copper, orange and red tones associate naturally with autumn-flowering perennials and provide a transition into the quieter winter garden. New Zealand Wind Grass can also be grown successfully in a large container, where its cascading foliage helps soften the edges of the pot.

Care Tips

Anemanthele Lessoniana is relatively low maintenance once established. Plant in well-drained soil and water regularly during the first growing season while the root system develops. Once established, plants generally require less attention, although container-grown specimens will need more consistent watering during dry weather.

Unlike deciduous ornamental grasses, Pheasant's Tail Grass should not routinely be cut completely to the ground in winter. Instead, remove dead or damaged foliage in spring by gently combing through the plant or trimming individual leaves as necessary. This preserves the attractive living foliage and natural shape.

Plants may self-seed where conditions suit them. Seedlings can be removed when young if they are not required, or allowed to develop where a more informal, naturalistic effect is desired.