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Stipa Gigantea
Kim Wallis
Posts: 13
Hi, can any one help. I have a stipa gigantea which i planted about 3 years ago. Its is now a lovely mature healthy plant, but i have never had any flowers/grass heads on it.
This is the second one i have had. The other had to be dug up because of a patio build, and it was so beautiful i vowed i would soon get another. The second plant is only about 5 foot away from where the original one was planted (where you can see the echinops now), so i know the growing conditions are right. Is it possible to have some stipas that just wont flower? Do i need to dig it up and try again? Many Thanks Kim
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Hi, thanks for your reply, sorry i didn't see it sooner. I thought i would receive an email notification, but didn't.
I have never cut it back. It does get good sun, although the tall rudbeckia's around it are crowding the bottom half of the stipa. Do you think it needs more free space around it?
..are you quite sure that's Stipa gigantea...? it looks a bit tall - narrow - and the leaves rather wide... mine has a grassy base about 3 foot wide and 18 inches tall...and the leaves are narrower.... the flower spikes rise from that 8 foot or so...
..at a glance, the shape of yours looks more like a Miscanthus...
I agree with Salino. I don't think it is a stipa at all, it's completely the wrong shape and the leaves too stiff. Could we have a close up of the leaves and centre of the plant?
Its funny you should say that because i ordered it from the internet and they sent the wrong plant to start with, it was a variegated grass. So this was what got posted to me as the correct plant. It had been a couple of years since i had to remove my last stipa, and it just looked right to me. I think i may have to visit a garden centre and have a look at one. Still, it would solve the problem of what it is if it would only flower :0)
I will take some more pics, but its tipping with rain at the moment! When it eases off i will take some more and download them.
The rain has stopped
The rain has stopped, some more pics for your expert eyes to cast over!
That's not stipa, its a pampas grass!
I am not sure if you can make the stipa out very well (front of photo)but I am inclined to agree you have a pampas. My stipa have performed magnificently since planting. I only cut them back if the grow into the hedge. They are one of the few plants I can ignore! I think your plant was wrongly named. Happens very frequently nowadays!
A A Milne