Tiger Grass – A fast growing screen for narrow spaces.
With the common name of Tiger Grass, Thysanolaena Maxima is a perennial grass originally from Thailand that just looks like a small growing bamboo.
This is a clump forming plant that is used widely as a fast growing screening plant. Tiger grass is also used as an ornamental grass for growing in pots and is well suited to tropical gardens or balinese style gardens
Tiger Grass – Growing conditions and Uses
Thysanolaena Maxima is a fast growing clumping grass, that will quickly form a clump of 1m or more across.
Growing to 2.5m to 3m, it makes a great screening or background plant. In some asian countries the broad leaves are used to wrap food.
Also called ‘broom grass’ it is easy to care for, can be grown a green filler plant for containers and grows well in part shade to full sun.
The only real problems with Tiger Grass is frost and cold, so in the cooler climates of Victoria and Tasmania it can struggle a little, although we have seen it growing well in Melbourne in sheltered courtyards.
It is fast growing so give it space and consider a root barrier if you really want to contain it.
Landscaping Uses
Excellent in a Balinese or Japanese style garden. Useful as a screening plant and can be used as a feature in containers.
Suited for use as a screen or hedge in narrow spaces where other hedging plants are not suited.
Best planted away from swimming pools as the flowers will drop litter as they fade.
Pruning and Maintenance
To keep the clump looking fresh, it is best to maintain the clump by pruning some of the oldest canes back to the ground each year. Start this process after 3 years.
You can also dig and divide sections of the clump at any time if needed. You can prune to height, however we feel that this detracts from the natural look of the plant a little.
Propagation is easy by division as well as by seed. The root system of the plant does not seem to be regarded as invasive, however the plant can self seed.
Summary
- Height – Will reach 3 meters.
- Spread – Will form a clump to 1m plus in 4 – 5 years
- Soil – Humus rich moist.
- Position – Full sun to a little shade.
- Foliage – Mid green lanceolate.
- Flowers – Purple
- Growth Rate – Fast, will reach 2m in a year in warm climates, slower in cooler areas.