Description
Common Tussock grass (Poa labillardieri) is an incredibly tough grass. In many parts of Australia it will thrive without any supplementary water and is largely indifferent to soil type. This grass is a very popular choice in landscaping as it is a very attractive and graceful grass. Poa labillardieri forms a dome of foliage to 60-70cm with long, slender, soft, greyish-green or blue-green leaves in a weeping habit. The flowers can hover beyond the foliage to a total of about a metre. It should be planted with sufficient spacing to achieve a pattern of repeated hummocks, rather than creating an undifferentiated blanket covering. This native grass is ideal for softening hard surfaces and for colour contrasting with other plants. The Poa lab is a cool season grass which means it tends to hold its colour quite well over winter in even the coldest climates.
TOLERANCES
- Moderate salt tolerance
- Tolerates full sun, but prefers dappled shade
- High frost tolerance, can even germinate in frost
- Drought tolerant
USES
Poa lab is an ornamental tufting perennial for mixed native landscapes, borders, and wider verges. Because of its attractive form, Poa labillardieri is good for landscaping either as individual contrast plants or in massed plantings.
Planting Poa lab in your garden will attract native butterflies such as native Xenica, as well as being an larval food source. It also provides a food source and habitat for small birds and lizards.
Unfortunately due to quarantine restrictions this product is not available to Western Australia
SOWING
SOW RATE
1-3kg per ha
SOWING GUIDELINES
- For best results try to ensure that the seed bed is weed free. Native grasses are slow growers and effective weed control is highly desirable.
- It is also incredibly helpful to know the pH levels of your soil so take soil sample to test your soil pH level, following test kit instructions.
- While the soil is under preparation, it is a good idea to sow a few seeds into a sterile seed raising mix to be kept moist until germination. This will allow for easier identification of lawn seedlings once the lawn is sown.
- Before sowing, the soil surface should be loosened with either a rake or harrows to ensure adequate seed to soil contact.
- No fertiliser is necessary. in particular, avoid any phosphate-based fertilisers. The addition of organic matter however will add to a successful result.
- Spread the seed evenly over the prepared surface and rake it in, so it is lightly covered. Seed sown deeper than 15 mm may not germinate.
- Where possible, try rolling the area as it lightly presses soil particles together and ensures grass seeds are in contact with the soil. This will eliminate air pockets that could interfere with seed germination and growth and a rolled seedbed also holds moisture longer.
- If there is access to irrigation, for the first three weeks, water approximately 2-3 times a week, taking into account the weather. Where there is no access to irrigation, sow from autumn to spring coincided with rain. It is important after sowing grass seed to ensure seeds do not dry out.
- Use the sown seed sample to help identify grass seedlings from weeds.
BEST TIME TO SOW
| Irrigation |
Sow all year round |
| No irrigation |
Sow from autumn to spring coincided with rain |
Unfortunately due to Quarantine restrictions this product is not available to Western Australia
Distribution Map
Poa labillardieri is found predominantly in the south-eastern regions of Australia from north of Brisbane to the Adelaide Hills in Red gum woodland, dry sclerophyll forest and riparian scrub.
