Austrostipa mollis
soft speargrass
Overview
Austrostipa mollis is a tufted perennial grass in the family Poaceae, forming clumps 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) tall, with flowering stems rising to 24-39 inches (60-100 cm). The narrow leaves are soft, often inrolled, and covered in soft, dense hairs that give the plant its common name and a grey-green, slightly downy look. In spring and early summer it produces open, airy flower panicles 6-12 inch (15-30 cm) long, holding many small spikelets, each seed tipped with a long bent awn that twists as it dries and helps drill the seed into the soil. The foliage cures to straw tones over summer. Austrostipa mollis grows in grassy woodland, dry forest, and open grassland on a range of soils in south-eastern Australia and tolerates drought and poor ground once established. The sharp-pointed seeds can catch in clothing and animal coats and may injure stock, which limits its use near grazing animals. It is comparatively short-lived but renews readily from self-sown seed.
Native Range
Austrostipa mollis is native to south-eastern Australia, occurring in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. It grows in grassy woodland, dry open forest, and native grassland on sandy, loamy, and clay soils.Suggested Uses
Used in native grassland plantings, meadow-style gardens, and revegetation on dry, free-draining sites. The soft foliage and airy seed heads suit massed planting for movement and texture, though the sharp seeds make it less suited to areas near livestock.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'3"
Width/Spread1' - 1'8"
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in spring and early summer, around October to December in its native range. The open panicles carry wind-pollinated spikelets, each ripening into a sharp-pointed seed with a long twisting awn. Seeds drop through summer and the awns help work them into the soil.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Straw to greenFoliage Description
Grey-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow Austrostipa mollis in full sun on most free-draining soils, including sandy, loamy, and clay types. It withstands drought, heat, and frost once established and needs little water through summer. The clumps cure to straw tones in the dry season and green up again with autumn and winter rains. Cut back or comb out old growth in late winter to refresh the clump before new leaves appear. It self-seeds freely, so removing spent panicles limits unwanted spread where that is a concern.Pruning
Cut the clump back to about 4 inches (10 cm) in late winter, or comb out the dead leaves by hand, to remove old growth before spring. Removing flowering stems before the seed ripens reduces self-seeding. No other pruning is needed.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons