Stipa tenuissima 'Ponytails' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Mexican Feather Grass

Stipa tenuissima 'Ponytails'

£4.99 £5.99 SAVE 16%
Hardy in the UKSun-loving
Pot size
11cm / 0.75L £4.99

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Description

Stipa tenuissima 'Ponytails' (Mexican feather grass) is one of the most loved of all ornamental grasses, prized for its soft, flowing movement and feathery texture. It forms a neat fountain of fine, thread-like green foliage that catches every breeze, before sending up a haze of silky, buff-coloured plumes through summer that bleach to pale blonde as they age. Run your hand through it and you'll see exactly how it earned the 'Ponytails' name.

This is a wonderfully versatile grass for contemporary, gravel, prairie and coastal-style planting. Plant it in drifts for a sea of texture, dot it through perennials to add lightness and motion, or grow it in pots where its movement can be appreciated up close. It pairs beautifully with verbena, salvias, echinacea and other sun-lovers.

How and where to grow it

Stipa tenuissima is happiest in full sun and free-draining soil, it positively thrives in poor, dry, sandy or gravelly ground and dislikes wet, heavy conditions, especially over winter. It is hardy and semi-evergreen, looking good for much of the year. In late winter, simply comb through the clump with gloved fingers or trim lightly to remove tired growth before fresh blades push through.

  • Position: full sun, sheltered or exposed
  • Soil: light, free-draining; ideal for dry gardens
  • Care: comb out or cut back in late winter; deadhead to limit self-seeding

Every plant we send is nursery-grown and carefully selected, ready to bring effortless movement and a soft, naturalistic feel to your garden.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Mexican Feather Grass

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Mexican Feather Grass

Stipa tenuissima 'Ponytails' needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −10°C, standing an average UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Coastal & Exposed Dry & Gravel Gardens Exotic Borders Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H4): down to around −10°C. Hardy through an average UK winter.

Hardy (RHS H4), semi-evergreen. Comb out or cut back tired growth in late winter. Can self-seed freely — deadhead to control. Read moreShow less

Hardy (RHS H4), semi-evergreen. Comb out or cut back tired growth in late winter. Can self-seed freely — deadhead to control.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingExposed
Full sun. Read moreShow less

Full sun.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Light, free-draining soil; thrives in poor, dry ground. Read moreShow less

Light, free-draining soil; thrives in poor, dry ground.

Watering

Drought-tolerant once established; water sparingly. Hates winter wet. Read moreShow less

Drought-tolerant once established; water sparingly. Hates winter wet.

Mature size

Height45–60 cm
Spread30–45 cm

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Jun–Sep

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Semi-evergreen

Pruning

In spring, comb through with gloved fingers to pull out the dead straw-coloured leaves rather than cutting it back hard.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets.

Native range

Americas

Family

Poaceae

Also known as

Stipa tenuissima 'Ponytails'

Genus

Stipa
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Stipa tenuissima hardy in the UK?

Yes, it is hardy (RHS H4) across most of the UK and semi-evergreen, looking good for much of the year. Its main dislike is winter wet, so sharp drainage matters more than cold.

Does it need sun or shade?

Full sun is essential for the best growth, movement and flowering. It thrives in hot, dry, poor soils and gives its softest, most flowing effect in an open, sunny spot.

Does it self-seed?

It can self-seed freely in the right conditions. If you want to keep it in check, cut off the flower plumes before the seed ripens, or simply hoe off unwanted seedlings in spring.

How do I look after it?

Very little is needed. In late winter, comb through the clump with gloved fingers or give it a light trim to remove tired growth before the fresh blades come through. Avoid cutting hard into the crown.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Absolutely. It looks wonderful in containers where its movement can be seen up close. Use a free-draining, gritty compost and don't overwater, especially in winter.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Stipa tenuissima 'Ponytails'
£4.99 £5.99