Stipa splendens
Chee Grass
a perennial member of the Stipa genus in the family Gramineae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A fibre from the leaves is used in making paper[1]. The flowering culms are used for matting, fencing, fuel and the walls of summer tents for nomadic tribes[1].
- Product or use
- Fibre
- Product or use
- Paper
- Product or use
- Thatching
- Product or use
- Weaving
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - Siberia.
- Habitat
- Steppes[1].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow March in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks, but make sure that the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. The seed can also be sown outdoors in April. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Easily grown in an ordinary well-drained garden soil in full sun[1][2]. Succeeds in dry soils. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[2].
References
Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5