Browse plants / Poaceae
Coast tussock-grass Poa poiformis
Also called Blue tussock
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
Blue-green coastal tussock grass that handles salt wind, sand and drought.
A dense, fine-leaved tussock from coastal dunes and cliffs of southern Australia. Its blue-green colour and soft texture suit natural-style planting, and it binds sandy banks.
In the garden
- Flowers
- Open, straw-coloured seed heads above the foliage in spring.
- Leaves
- Fine, rolled, blue-green to grey-green leaves.
- Attracts
- Butterflies and shelter for small wildlife
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Sandy, loam and clay
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Hard frost
- Water
- Very drought tolerant
- Coast
- Exposed to salt spray
- Climate
- Dry summers (Mediterranean), temperate and cool and alpine
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed and division
Planting
Sun or part shade, including frontline coastal gardens. Space 60 cm apart.
Pruning
Comb out dead leaves, or cut back to about 10 cm in late winter every year or two to keep it fresh.
Care
No feeding needed; extra nutrients favour weeds. Water through the first summer.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Poaceae
- Order
- Poales
- Native to
- New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia
- Natural range
- Coastal dunes, cliffs and swamp edges of southern Australia, from NSW to Western Australia.
Where to buy
Widely available.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
Help improve this page
Spotted a mistake, or know something we don't? Everything is checked by a moderator before it goes live.
Further reading
- Poa poiformis on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.