Eriophorum vaginatum

Common Names

Tussock Cottongrass, Tussock Cotton-Grass, Tussock Cotton Grass, Hare's Tail Grass, Hare's Tail Cotton Grass, Hare's-Tail Cottongrass, Cotton Grass, Sheathed Cotton-Grass

Summary

Circumboreal, tussock-forming sedge native to bogs and acidic wetlands; forms dense tussocks with extremely narrow, hair-like leaves; flowering stems carry a single inflated leaf-sheath rather than a lamina; inflorescences are dense, tufted, and solitary spikelets with white hair-like bristles producing a cottony appearance; fruiting stems elongate well above the leaves.

Prefers moist to waterlogged, acidic soils in open wet habitats and should be kept consistently moist; tolerates full sun to partial shade and is propagated by division of tussocks in spring or fall; used as an ornamental plant in bog gardens or pond margins and acts as a keystone species in peatlands, contributing to peat formation and providing microhabitats.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

4-24 inches

Spread

6-12 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5a-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, tolerates partial sun and partial shade, adaptable to any sun exposure.

Soil Type

Peaty, acidic, waterlogged soils.

Soil Drainage

Poorly drained, wet soils (bogs/peatlands)

Soil pH

3.0-6.5, Acid to neutral

Bloom Color

White, occasionally reddish or brown

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Green, evergreen in winter, may range to brown or pale green to yellowish.

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Growth Rate

Slow growth, 1-3 tillers per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Tillering

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds (nesting cover and foraging grounds; Canada geese consume flowers and culms, willow ptarmigan forage on buds, Lapland longspurs nest among tussocks)