Celtica gigantea
Species of grass
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Celtica gigantea, commonly called giant feather grass, giant needle grass or golden-oats, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family, Poaceae, native to the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco.[2] Despite being renamed and placed within the genus Celtica, it is still widely referred to—both in horticultural literature and amongst gardeners—by its synonym, Stipa gigantea.[3]
| Celtica gigantea | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Genus: | Celtica F.M.Vázquez & Barkworth |
| Species: | C. gigantea |
| Binomial name | |
| Celtica gigantea (Link) F.M.Vázquez & Barkworth | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Species synonymy
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Description
Celtica gigantea is a bunchgrass with leaf blades that are narrow and gray-green, creating a bunchgrass foliage mass 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m) in diameter. It is evergreen to semi-evergreen, depending on the climate.[4]
The plant has prominent flower spikes emerging silver-lavender in the late spring, aging to a radiant golden over the summer, and persisting in tan into winter. The spikes typically grow to 8 feet (2.4 m) tall, rising high above the foliage.[5][4]
Cultivation
Celtica gigantea is grown as an ornamental grass for planting as single specimens and massed drifts in parks, public landscapes, and gardens.[5] It is used in drought tolerant and Mediterranean climate—plant palette gardens.[4]
The tall golden flower spikes are attractive on the plant, especially radiant when backlit by the sun.[6] They may also be used for dried flowers.
Under the synonym Stipa gigantea this plant[3][7] and the cultivar 'Gold Fontaene'[8] have won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.