Plant · GBIF taxon 5289833
Mexican feathergrass
Nassella tenuissimaAlso known as Finestem Needlegrass, Fineleaved Nassella, Argentine Needle-grass
Mexican feathergrass produces dense clumps of hair-thin, bright green foliage topped by delicate, feathery seed plumes that sway gently in the breeze. Native to dry rocky slopes across North and South America, it thrives in lean soils and extreme drought by minimizing water loss through threadlike leaves. While widely cultivated as an ornamental, its prolific self-seeding allows it to escape gardens and aggressively displace native vegetation in Mediterranean climates.
Drought-TolerantOrnamental GrassPerennial
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic
Predators
- Livestock
- Grasshoppers
ThreatsInvasive weed control in non-native regions
HabitatsChihuahuan desert grasslands, rocky slopes, scrublands, cultivated gardens
Life span3–10 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPoales
- FamilyPoaceae
- GenusNassella
- SpeciesNassella tenuissima
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Identification: Look for extremely fine, threadlike leaf blades and silvery panicles that ripen to golden tan.
- Garden Management: Deadhead spent seed heads early in autumn to prevent unwanted wind-dispersed seedlings.
- Ecology: Avoid planting near natural reserves where windblown seeds can outcompete indigenous plants.
Landscape Alternative Xemenendura / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Ecosystem Companion (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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