Jarava ichu flower (21/01/2012, Kew, London)
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Flowering period: Mid summer
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 1m
Eventual Spread: 50cm
Hardiness: 8a- 10b
Family: Poaceae
Jarava ichu is an upright, clumped, perennial, semi-evergreen grass. Its light green foliage foliage is stiff and finely textured. In late autumn the foliage becomes golden in color and persists through the winter months. The flowers of the plant are produced in masses of pendulous silvery feather like flowers, which are long, narrow and fluffy in appearance. These persist through the winter months.
Jarava ichu (21/01/2012, Kew, London)
Jarava ichu, commonly known as Peruvian Feather Grass or Peruvian Needle Grass, is native to Central America and north South America,west South America and south South America.. Jarava ichu is synonymous with Stipa ichu.
The etymological root of the binomial name Jarava is named after Juan de Jarava, a Spanish physician and naturalist. Ichu is derived from the Peruvian name for a number of grass-like plants, Ichu Quechua.
The landscape architect may find Jarava ichu useful as part of a prairie style planting scheme. It looks fantastic when planted en mass. Once established this plant is drought tolerant.
Ecologically J. ichu is of little benefit in the UK.
J. ichu prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It will not tolerate waterlogged soils.
J. ichu requires little maintenance. To give this plant a tidy appearance the old flowering heads may be removed in early spring, ahead of the new spring growth. Large clumps of this grass may be divided an propagated during early spring.
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