Feather grass

Pennisetum villosum

For many years a number of Pennisetum grasses have been used as garden grasses in Australia, the most common being kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum).

Some grasses can readily escape the garden area and become weeds on bushland and farmland. Feather grass is one of those which has escaped from gardens.

An environmental and farm weed

Feather grass is not only an environmental weed it is also a weed of pasture. I have seen this weed become more prevalent over the last few years.

In the past it was mainly found along railway lines in the mid-north of South Australia but now it is found on many roadsides throughout the state. Near Palmer it is beginning to seriously invade pasture paddocks.

This grass is unpalatable to stock and has been declared a noxious weed in some parts of Australia. It can even be found on footpaths near the Trees For Life office at Pasadena.

How to identify it

Feather grass forms a short dense tussock up to 90cm tall, but is usually 50-70cm tall. The leaves are quite narrow, 2-6mm wide and up to 30cm long, and are distinctly channelled. The plant produces a white/cream feathery flowerhead, which can be up to 12cm long and the individual seeds are very fluffy and easily moved around by wind.

You can see this as populations spread along roads and railway lines. The seed readily attaches to the coats of sheep, cattle and other animals.

If you find this plant ANYWHERE (and you are confident of its identity) please try to kill it.

How to remove it

If you find it on your Bush For Life site the best method of control is to slash the tussocks a few centimetres above the ground, wait for a flush of new growth and then spray it with Glyphosate™ at a rate of 1:100. Spraying mature plants is less effective because Glyphosate™ is not readily absorbed through older leaves.

Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) is a close relative of feather grass and looks like a taller version with purple flowerheads. This grass is also a serious environmental weed and should be treated the same way.

In the past, these grasses have been encouraged because they do not require much water to survive, making them ideal for South Australian conditions. Unfortunately, this means they can readily escape from gardens and you may now find them established on your Bush For Life site.

Peter Tucker
Bush For Life Technical Officer