Nassella viridula
Native cool-season perennial North American bunchgrass forming tall tufts, drought-tolerant, and acting as a pioneer and dominant species across diverse habitats.
Common Names
Green Needlegrass, Feather Bunchgrass, Green Stipagrass, Green Nassella
Summary
Green needlegrass is a perennial cool-season bunchgrass native to North America, widespread in western Canada and the western and central United States, with introduction in parts of eastern North America. It forms tufts of stems up to about 1 m tall with deep fibrous roots, leaves mostly basal up to 30 cm long with threadlike tips, and a narrow panicle inflorescence with spikelets bearing awns nearly 4 cm long that are bent twice; flowers are yellow and bloom in late spring.
It tolerates full sun to partial shade and a range of soils, including heavy clay, is drought-tolerant and winter-hardy, and can be propagated by seed or division, with germination improved by stratification and fall planting; practical uses include forage for cattle, hay and pasture production, ground-nesting bird habitat, and use in rangeland restoration and disturbed-site revegetation.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
1-4 feet
Spread
14-18 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-7
Sunlight Requirements
Full sun to partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline soils
Bloom Color
Yellow
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Other
Growth Rate
Rapid, vigorous seedling growth
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division, Tillering (vegetative propagation)
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts birds, attracts other pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Trin.) Barkworth
- Publication
- Taxon 39: 612 (1990)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Poales
- Family
- Poaceae
- Genus
- Nassella
Synonyms
Stipa sparta Stipa nuttalliana Stipa parviflora Stipa viridula