Explore Wind Grass, Gossamer Grass (Anemanthele lessoniana), a grass & sedge included in this Canterbury plant reference. Its listed flower colours include bronze. Foliage colours recorded include green. Before planting in Christchurch, consider mature size, soil drainage, shelter and how much care the garden will need.
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Christchurch planting and maintenance notes
Gossamer grass adds fine-textured movement and warm bronze colour to open borders. The light canopy can look attractive with bolder native shrubs, but it needs spacing so paths stay clear as the grass matures.
Practical care detail
Choose free-draining ground and avoid leaving crowns in persistent winter wetness. Remove tired foliage carefully rather than mowing a tussock to the ground.
Plant characteristics at a glance
- Plant type
- Grass & sedge
- Botanical or cultivar name
- Anemanthele lessoniana
- Common name
- Wind Grass, Gossamer Grass
- Flower colours
- bronze
- Foliage colours
- green
- Light mentioned in source
- Full sun
- Flowering season in source
- Summer
- Garden use tags
- Ground cover, Coastal gardens, Dry gardens, Bird-friendly, Bee-friendly, Restoration planting
- NZ native
- Listed here as a NZ native
Colours, seasons and tolerance descriptions are indicative. Flowering and growth can differ with cultivar, weather, soil and the particular garden site.
Where Wind Grass, Gossamer Grass may fit in a Christchurch garden
Tussocks and sedges bring texture and movement to mixed borders, but they need adequate space for their mature clumps.
Possible uses to explore include ground cover, coastal gardens, dry gardens, bird-friendly, bee-friendly, restoration planting. These are reference tags, not a guarantee of success on every property.
Look at existing hedges, paths, lawn edges and neighbouring plants before deciding where to place it. A compact city garden has different needs from an open rural or restoration planting.
Sun, drainage and local conditions
The source material mentions Full sun. Verify which exposure this particular cultivar prefers, especially if your section has reflected heat, strong afternoon sun or winter shade.
Coastal exposure appears in the reference notes, but shelter and salt wind still vary from street to street near New Brighton and Southshore.
Before planting, test soil drainage after rain and consider whether winter frosts, easterly winds or summer drying will affect establishment.
Care and maintenance
Plant in drifts only where the mature clump will fit. Remove tired foliage selectively and avoid treating every tussock like lawn grass; cutting requirements depend on the exact species.
Watering, feeding and pruning should follow the exact species and site. Observe the plant through the first full growing season; adjust the plan rather than applying the same schedule to every shrub, tree or flower.
Reference and plant identification
This entry draws on factual characteristics in a publicly listed Canterbury nursery catalogue. For identification details and more botanical information, see the Goughs Nurseries listing for Anemanthele lessoniana ↗. Kiwi Gardeners is independent of the nursery. We do not reproduce its photographs, descriptions or stock claims.
If you are unsure of a cultivar, check the actual plant label and seek horticultural advice before purchasing. Avoid introducing regulated or invasive species, and check local rules where relevant.
Dallas Timpson Garden Services welcomes enquiries about garden maintenance, lawn mowing, garden tidy-ups, pruning and green waste removal. Plant supply is not currently offered through this directory.