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Grey Hair-grass

Corynephorus canescens

Please keep in mind that it is illegal to uproot a plant without the landowner's consent and care should be taken at all times not to damage wild plants. Wild plants should never be picked for pleasure and some plants are protected by law.
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Plant Profile
Other Information
Distribution Map

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Order:

Poales

Family:

Poaceae (Grass)

Also in this family:

Alpine Catstail, Alpine Foxtail, Alpine Meadow-grass, Annual Beard-grass, Annual Meadow-grass, Arrow Bamboo, Barren Brome Grass, Bearded Couch Grass, Bearded Fescue, Bermuda Grass, Black Bent, Black Grass, Blue Fescue, Blue Moor-grass, Bog Hair-grass, Borrer's Saltmarsh Grass, Bread Wheat, Bristle Bent, Brown Bent, Brown Sedge, Bulbous Foxtail, Bulbous Meadow-grass, California Brome Grass, Canary Grass, Carnation Sedge, Cocksfoot, Cockspur, Common Bent, Common Cord-grass, Common Millet, Common Reed, Common Saltmarsh Grass, Compact Brome Grass, Corn, Couch Grass, Creeping Bent, Creeping Soft-grass, Crested Dog's-tail, Crested Hair-grass, Cultivated Oat, Curved Hard Grass, Cut Grass, Dense Silky Bent, Downy Oat-grass, Drooping Brome Grass, Drooping Tor Grass, Dune Fescue, Early Hair-grass, Early Meadow-grass, Early Sand-grass, False Brome Grass, False Oat-grass, Fern Grass, Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue, Flattened Meadow-grass, Floating Sweet-grass, Foxtail Barley, French Oat, Giant Fescue, Glaucous Meadow-grass, Great Brome Grass, Greater Quaking Grass, Hairy Brome Grass, Hairy Finger-grass, Hard Fescue, Hard Grass, Harestail Grass, Heath Grass, Holy Grass, Hybrid Marram Grass, Italian Rye Grass, Knotroot Bristlegrass, Lesser Hairy Brome Grass, Lesser Quaking Grass, Loose Silky Bent, Lyme Grass, Marram Grass, Marsh Foxtail, Mat Grass, Mat-grass Fescue, Meadow Barley, Meadow Fescue, Meadow Foxtail, Meadow Oat-grass, Mountain Melick, Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass, Narrow-leaved Small-reed, Neglected Couch Grass, Nit Grass, Orange Foxtail, Pampas Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Plicate Sweet-grass, Purple Moor-grass, Purple Small-reed, Purple-stem Catstail, Quaking Grass, Ratstail Fescue, Red Fescue, Reed Canary Grass, Reed Sweet-grass, Reflexed Saltmarsh Grass, Rescue Grass, Rough Meadow-grass, Rush-leaved Fescue, Sand Catstail, Sand Couch Grass, Scandinavian Small-reed, Scottish Small-reed, Sea Barley, Sea Couch Grass, Sea Fern Grass, Sheep's Fescue, Silver Hair-grass, Six-rowed Barley, Slender Brome Grass, Small Cord-grass, Small Sweet-grass, Smaller Catstail, Smooth Brome Grass, Smooth Cord-grass, Smooth Finger-grass, Smooth Meadow-grass, Soft Brome Grass, Somerset Hair-grass, Sorghum, Spreading Meadow-grass, Squirreltail Fescue, Stiff Brome Grass, Stiff Saltmarsh Grass, Sweet Vernal Grass, Tall Fescue, Timothy Grass, Tor Grass, Tufted Hair-grass, Two-rowed Barley, Upright Brome Grass, Velvet Bent, Viviparous Fescue, Wall Barley, Wavy Hair-grass, Wavy Meadow-grass, Whorl Grass, Wild Oat, Wood Barley, Wood Fescue, Wood Meadow-grass, Wood Melick, Wood Millet, Yellow Oat-grass, Yorkshire Fog

Type:

Flower

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Maximum Size:

30 centimetres tall

Habitats:

Beaches, fields, gardens, grassland, heathland, meadows, parks, rocky places, sand dunes, seaside.

Flower:

Grey, no petals

Purplish silvery-grey, 2-flowered spikelets. 3 stamens.

Fruit:

A type of dry, one-seeded fruit called a caryopsis.

Leaves:

A tufted, evergreen grass with greyish-green, rigid, thread-like leaves, up to 0.5mm wide. Pink-purple sheaths.

Other Names:

Gray Clubawn Grass.

Frequency (UK):

Rarely seen

Summary

Corynephorus canescens, also known as Grey Hair-grass or Grey Hairgrass, is a species of grass in the Poaceae family. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa and is commonly found in grassland habitats such as meadows, prairies, and rocky slopes. It is a perennial grass that forms dense tussocks or clumps, with a height that ranges from 15-30 cm. The leaves are fine and bright green, and the flowers are formed in thin, dense spikes that are greenish-white in color, and appear in late spring to early summer. The spikes are surrounded by a dense ring of white or grayish-white hair-like bristles that give the plant its common name. This grass species is commonly used in ornamental gardening, landscaping, and as a ground cover. It is also used as a forage grass for livestock and wildlife, and it is known to be tolerant of heavy grazing and of poor soil.

Blog

Grey Hair-grass, also known as Corynephorus canescens, is a perennial grass species that belongs to the Poaceae family. It is a native species to the grasslands of Europe and is commonly found in dry, sandy, and nutrient-poor soils. Grey Hair-grass is a relatively small grass species, growing up to 30cm in height, and can be identified by its characteristic greyish-green leaves and slender stems.

Ecology and Habitat

Grey Hair-grass is a typical species of semi-dry grasslands, occurring in open habitats, such as heathlands, sand dunes, and calcareous grasslands. It prefers well-drained soils and is often associated with low nutrient availability, drought, and fire-prone habitats. Grey Hair-grass is an important species in grassland ecosystems, providing food and shelter for a wide range of insects and small mammals.

Grey Hair-grass is also known for its ability to grow in nutrient-poor soils, making it an important species for soil stabilization and erosion control. Its deep root system can help to bind and stabilize soils, preventing soil erosion and promoting soil health. In addition, Grey Hair-grass is often used for land reclamation projects, such as the restoration of degraded grasslands or the rehabilitation of abandoned mine sites.

Benefits and Uses

Grey Hair-grass has several benefits and uses. For example, it is a valuable forage species for grazing animals, providing high-quality forage during the summer months. It is also a popular ornamental grass species, often used in garden and landscape design due to its attractive appearance and ability to grow in a range of soil types.

In addition, Grey Hair-grass has several medicinal properties. It has been traditionally used in herbal medicine to treat a range of ailments, such as coughs, colds, and skin conditions. The plant is believed to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and recent studies have shown that Grey Hair-grass extracts may have potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of certain diseases.

Conservation Status

Grey Hair-grass is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, like many grassland species, Grey Hair-grass is threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to changes in land use, such as agricultural intensification and urbanization. Therefore, conservation efforts are needed to protect and restore Grey Hair-grass populations and the grassland habitats that support them.

In conclusion, Grey Hair-grass is an important species in grassland ecosystems, providing a range of ecological, economic, and medicinal benefits. Its ability to grow in nutrient-poor soils makes it an important species for soil stabilization and erosion control, and its attractive appearance and medicinal properties make it a valuable species for ornamental and medicinal purposes. However, continued conservation efforts are needed to ensure the long-term survival of this important species and the grassland habitats that support it.

Facts

Here are some additional facts about Grey Hair-grass:

Grey Hair-grass is also known as Silverhair grass or Whisker grass, due to the hair-like appearance of its inflorescence.
The seeds of Grey Hair-grass are small and have a hard seed coat, which allows them to remain viable in the soil for many years.
Grey Hair-grass has a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, which helps the plant to absorb nutrients from the soil.
The plant is wind-pollinated, with its feathery inflorescence dispersing seeds over long distances.
Grey Hair-grass is an important indicator species for grassland habitats. Its presence is often used as an indicator of the ecological health of grassland ecosystems.
In traditional herbal medicine, Grey Hair-grass has been used to treat a range of ailments, including diarrhea, fever, and asthma.
Grey Hair-grass is often used in ecological restoration projects, where it is planted to restore degraded grassland habitats and promote biodiversity.
Grey Hair-grass is a short-lived species, with individual plants typically living for 2-3 years.
The plant is tolerant of drought and can survive long periods of dry weather.
Grey Hair-grass is a valuable species for carbon sequestration, with its deep root system helping to store carbon in the soil.

More Information

Grey Hair-grass, also known as Corynephorus canescens, is a perennial grass species that is native to the grasslands of Europe. It is a relatively small grass species that grows up to 30cm in height, and can be identified by its characteristic greyish-green leaves and slender stems.

Grey Hair-grass is a typical species of semi-dry grasslands and occurs in open habitats such as heathlands, sand dunes, and calcareous grasslands. It prefers well-drained soils and is often associated with low nutrient availability, drought, and fire-prone habitats. Grey Hair-grass is an important species in grassland ecosystems, providing food and shelter for a wide range of insects and small mammals.

Grey Hair-grass has several benefits and uses. It is a valuable forage species for grazing animals, providing high-quality forage during the summer months. It is also a popular ornamental grass species, often used in garden and landscape design due to its attractive appearance and ability to grow in a range of soil types.

However, like many grassland species, Grey Hair-grass is threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to changes in land use, such as agricultural intensification and urbanization. Therefore, conservation efforts are needed to protect and restore Grey Hair-grass populations and the grassland habitats that support them.

Grey Hair-grass is a valuable species for soil stabilization and erosion control, and its attractive appearance, ecological and medicinal benefits make it an important species for conservation and restoration efforts.

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

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Grey Hair-grass

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Plant Profile

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