Jarava ichu

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, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 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 colour 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 Jarava ichu is of little benefit in the UK.

Jarava ichu prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It will not tolerate waterlogged soils.

Jarava 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.