How to plant and care for Golden Oats (Stipa gigantea)

Celtica gigantea

Also called giant feather grass, giant needle grass, Spanish oat grass, Stipa

🌸 Flower 🔁 Perennial

A stately evergreen grass with a low mound of narrow grey-green leaves. In early summer, tall, airy stems of shimmering oat-like flowers rise to 2 m or more. The heads turn rich gold and last well into autumn, glowing when backlit by low sun. Give it full sun, free-draining soil and plenty of space so you can see through it to the plants behind.

When to plant and care for it

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Flowers

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Growing Golden Oats (Stipa gigantea): what it needs

Light: Full sun · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Water well until established, then only in prolonged dry spells
Soil: Well-drained, light or gravelly soil; tolerates poor soil but dislikes winter wet
Spacing: 1 m
Height: 2–2.5 m in flower (foliage 60–70 cm)
In pots: Best in the ground
Feeding: No feeding needed
Hardiness: USDA zones 6–10
Difficulty: Easy

Step by step

On planting day
Plant
Plant at the same depth as it was in its pot, 1 m apart, in full sun and free-draining soil, and firm in. Spring is the best time to plant.
0–1 days after “Plant”
Water In Well
Give a full can of water, then water during dry spells for the first growing season while roots establish.
7–14 days after “Water In Well”
Mulch Around the Base
Spread 5 cm of gravel or grit around the plant, keeping it off the crown. This keeps the base dry in winter and holds moisture in summer.

Every year

March
Comb Out Dead Leaves
Cut last year's flower stems off at the base, then run your gloved fingers through the clump to pull out old, dead leaves. Do not cut the foliage back hard.
June
In Flower
Tall, shimmering oat-like flower heads turning gold and catching the light.