Beginner
skill rating
Online Garden Tools
Useful videos
Stipa gigantea (Golden oats)
1 hour care
per year
per year
2.5m
Max height
Max height
1.2m
Max spread
Max spread
2-5 years
To maturity
To maturity
Plant details
Botanical name
Stipa gigantea
Other names
Golden oats, Stipa gigantica, Giant feather grass
Genus
Stipa Stipa
Species
S. gigantea - S. gigantea is a tall, evergreen to semi-evergreen grass with arching, green leaves and large panicles of oat-like flowers that emerge purple and ripen to a golden colour in late summer.
Stipa gigantea is: Evergreen
Habit
Arching, Clump-forming
Awards
RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
Flower
Purple in Spring; Gold in Autumn
Foliage
Mid-green in All seasons
How to care
Watch out for
Pests
Generally pest free
Diseases
Generally disease free
General care
Pruning
Remove spent flower stems and dead leaves in spring.
Propagation
Divide every 3-4 years.
Propagation methods
Division, Seed
Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions
Where to grow
Stipa gigantea (Golden oats) will reach a height of 2.5m and a spread of 1.2m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Architectural, Beds and borders, Low Maintenance, Prairie planting
Cultivation
Grow in moderately fertile, light soil in full sun.
Soil type
Chalky, Loamy, Sandy
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Full Sun
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
Companion plants
Botanical name
Stipa gigantea
Other names
Golden oats, Stipa gigantica, Giant feather grass
Genus
Stipa Stipa
Species
S. gigantea - S. gigantea is a tall, evergreen to semi-evergreen grass with arching, green leaves and large panicles of oat-like flowers that emerge purple and ripen to a golden colour in late summer.
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Arching, Clump-forming
Awards
RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
Create your free Shoot garden
Create your free SHOOT garden and make a record of the plants in your garden.
Add your own photos, notes, get monthly email reminders on how to care for your plants, and connect with other gardeners. Get started now.
Colour
Flower
Purple in Spring; Gold in Autumn
Foliage
Mid-green in All seasons
How to care
Watch out for
Pests
Generally pest free
Diseases
Generally disease free
General care
Pruning
Remove spent flower stems and dead leaves in spring.
Propagation
Divide every 3-4 years.
Propagation methods
Division, Seed
Monthly care advice
Get access to monthly care advice
Create a free SHOOT account and get instant access to expert care advice for this and other plants in your garden.
You'll also receive handy monthly email reminders of what needs doing. Create your free account.
Where to grow
Stipa gigantea (Golden oats) will reach a height of 2.5m and a spread of 1.2m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Architectural, Beds and borders, Low Maintenance, Prairie planting
Cultivation
Grow in moderately fertile, light soil in full sun.
Soil type
Chalky, Loamy, Sandy
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Full Sun
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
USDA zones
Zone 10, Zone 9, Zone 8, Zone 7, Zone 6
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Chalky, Loamy, Sandy | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Moist but well-drained, Well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Full Sun | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | South, East, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Hardy (H4) | Tell us... |
COMPANION PLANTS
GARDENS WITH THIS PLANT
ARTICLES WITH THIS PLANT
By garden designer Richard Rogers. The health and wellbeing benefits of gardens were being celebrated in a specially designed garden at RHS Chatsworth - one of the country’s most… read more
Designed by Helen J Rosevear and Jane Stoneham. This accessible, sensory-rich family garden promotes the Year of Green Action 2019. read more
By London garden designer Claudia de Yong. Claudia was asked by this client to design and plant a newly converted farm courtyard area which had already had the hard landscaping put down. read more
By Kate Gould Gardens. A lush green split level garden provides a peaceful, interactive and uplifting space where life-limited children with complex needs, their families, friends and carers can come… read more
By garden designer Tom Massey. The Lemon Tree Trust, a UK and US-based not-for-profit organisation, has been working in the refugee camps of Kurdistan in Northern Iraq since 2015. This summer it… read more
To add ? to your lists,
login to your account or subscribe.
Find out more about plant lists here
or Login
To add notes for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To add images for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To check if this plant is suitable for your garden first login to your account or subscribe.
or Login
DISCUSS THIS PLANT
Aspect for Stipa gigantea
This plant is featured at Chelsea Flower Show 2009
There are 5 active discussions about Stipa gigantea (Golden oats)
View all discussions