Stipa (Celtica) gigantea 'Goldilocks'

Giant Golden Oat Grass 'Goldilocks' Poaceae

All the drama of Giant Golden Oat Grass, but with rather less of the “how on earth am I going to fit that in?”. ‘Goldilocks’ is a notably compact selection of Celtica gigantea, forming a substantial but manageable evergreen clump of narrow green leaves, above which tall, airy stems carry elegant oat-like flowerheads. Emerging silvery-green and purplish, the panicles mature to rich golden brown, catching the light and dancing in the breeze. Selected and introduced by Neil Lucas of Knoll Gardens, who chose it for its naturally more compact habit, it retains all the grace of the species while being much better suited to smaller gardens. A superb architectural grass for gravel gardens, dry borders and naturalistic planting, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and is notably drought tolerant once established. Its clump-forming habit makes it admirably well behaved.

Cultivar origin: Selected and introduced by Neil Lucas, Knoll Gardens, Dorset, UK, in 2015.
Flowering: June–August
Hardiness: H4, approximately −10 to −5°C
Height: 120–180 cm
Spread: 100–150 cm