Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella or Stipa tenuissima) is a visually stunning ornamental grass that has captured the hearts of home gardeners and landscape architects alike. Its delicate, fountain-like cascade and exceptional drought tolerance have made it a popular choice for gardens across California. However, beneath its graceful exterior lies a less desirable truth: Mexican Feather Grass is an invasive plant, posing a significant threat to the native ecosystems of California.
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Mexican Feather Grass: Officially Declared Invasive
Recently designated as an invasive species by PlantRight in California, Mexican Feather Grass possesses a remarkable ability to spread and outcompete native flora. This aggressive ornamental grass produces tens of thousands of seeds per plant, which are easily dispersed by wind, water, contaminated soil, vehicles, and even animals. These seeds can remain viable in the soil for over four years, contributing to persistent self-sowing throughout California landscapes. Once established, Mexican Feather Grass demonstrates a capacity to overwhelm and displace native plant and animal species, disrupting the delicate balance of local ecosystems.
This invasive grass exhibits its aggressive nature across a wide range of habitats. It readily invades and dominates pasturelands, reducing forage for livestock, and encroaches upon vital native grasslands along the coast, threatening biodiversity. Mexican Feather Grass is not confined to wildlands; it thrives in urban environments, agricultural areas, forests, riparian zones, disturbed lands, and shrublands, demonstrating its adaptability and invasiveness in virtually any setting.
PlantRight’s Initiative to Halt Distribution
Recognizing the severe ecological threat posed by Mexican Feather Grass, PlantRight, in collaboration with nursery industry leaders, conservation organizations, plant scientists, and landscape professionals, is actively working to prevent its further spread. A primary focus is to implement cost-effective strategies to stop the sale and distribution of this invasive plant. In a significant effort, PlantRight is currently partnering with a major grower of Mexican Feather Grass to halt the distribution of 14,000 plants ready for retail. These 14,000 plants have the alarming potential to produce an estimated 980 million seeds annually, highlighting the urgency of preventing their release into the environment.
Seeking PlantRight Recommended Alternatives
To gain deeper insights into PlantRight’s ongoing efforts to combat the distribution of Mexican Feather Grass and to discover recommended non-invasive alternatives for your garden, please visit www.plantright.org. By choosing native or non-invasive ornamental grasses, you can contribute to preserving California’s natural beauty and biodiversity while still enjoying stunning garden landscapes.
