Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Cactus
Origin
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Central America, South America, Brazil
Types
Nassella tenuissima
cleistocactus strausii, cleistocactus winteri, cleistocactus samaipatanus
Number of Varieties
1515
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
driveways, open Woodlands, Roadsides, Rocky areas, Slopes, tree wells
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-1012-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11 - 4
12-10
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
50.80 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
55.90 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Red, Orange, Salmon
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Tan
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green, Gold, Tan
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
-
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Reduce watering in winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Requires little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 12-6-6 fertilizer
Fertilize the soil before planting, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacterial Stem Rot, fungus, Mealybugs, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, small hedge
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Florist trade and landscaping, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
NASSELLA tenuissima
CLEISTOCACTUS
Common Name
Finestem Needlegrass, Mexican Feather Grass
Cleistocactus
In Hindi
Mexican Feather Grass
Cleistocactus
In German
Mexikanische Federgras
Cleistocactus
In French
Mexicaine Herbe Feather
Cleistocactus
In Spanish
Pluma hierba mexicana
Cleistocactus
In Greek
Μεξικού Αστραπή Grass
Cleistocactus
In Portuguese
Mexican Pena Relva
Cleistocactus
In Polish
Mexican Feather trawy
Kleistokaktus
In Latin
Mexicanus Pluma Grass
Cleistocactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Caryophyllales
Family
Poaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Nassella
Cleistocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Stipeae
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
11650
1
27800
👆🏻