''Anemanthele'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of plants in the

grass family Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in ...

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. The only known species is ''Anemanthele lessoniana'', often called gossamer grass or New Zealand wind grass or pheasant's tail grass. This is a naturally rare grass in the wild but it is widely cultivated for use as an attractive ornamental garden plant. It is marginal in zone 8, going dormant and deciduous in cold winters, but usually

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

to semi-evergreen. It has green arching foliage to 3 feet in USDA 8, with highlights of orange, copper, and gold, especially in drier soils. This plant has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

References

External links

New Zealand Plant Conservation Network, ''Anemanthele lessoniana''Royal Horticultural Society, ''Anemanthele lessoniana,'' pheasant's tail grass (syn. ''Stipa arundinacea)''
Stipeae Bunchgrasses of Australasia Endemic flora of New Zealand Grasses of New Zealand Monotypic Poaceae genera Garden plants of Oceania {{NewZealand-plant-stub