Scientific Name: Briza media
Common Name: quaking grass
Family Name: Poaceae
Origin: Central / west Asia, Europe
Hardiness Zone: Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial, Poales (grass-like)
Mature Size: 0.7 - 1.3m x 0.3 - 0.6m (height x width)
Habit: Upright
Form: Oval - vertical
Texture: Medium - fine
Landscape Uses: Fall interest, Group or mass planting, Mixed shrub border, Perennial border, Summer interest
Exposure: Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil or Media: Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Grass-like, Alternate, Soft flexible, Parallel venation, Glabrous, Linear, Ciliate
Flowers: Spikelet, Purple, May-Jun-Jul
Fruit: Grain (caryopsis), Brown, Aug-Sep
Key ID Features:
Clump forming grass spreading by rhizomes; leaves blades mostly 5-15cm long x 4-10mm wide; spikelets compressed, imbricate, in open panicles up to 1m tall, as the grains mature in purpish to tan hop-like clusters, they quiver with any slight breeze as they dangle on thin stems (rachillas).