Deschampsia cespitosa 'Schottland' is a cool season ornamental grass prized for its elegant fountain shape and shimmering seed heads that persist through winter. This cultivar is known for its tight clumping habit, fine texture, and early bloom period, adding airy movement and vertical interest to partly shaded or moist garden areas. Its graceful structure remains attractive through multiple seasons, making it a favorite for naturalistic and meadow inspired designs.
Height & Spread: 24 - 36 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Early summer to late summer
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Soil Preference: Moist, fertile, well drained soils
Watering Needs: Moderate; prefers consistent moisture but tolerates brief dry spells
Deer Resistance: Rarely browsed by deer due to tough foliage texture
Native Status
Deschampsia cespitosa is native to parts of North America, Europe, and Asia, thriving in moist meadows and open woodlands. 'Schottland' is a cultivated selection valued for ornamental use.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Birds
- Seed heads are eaten by sparrows, goldfinches, and juncos in fall and winter; upright clumps provide cold season cover.
Beneficial Insects
- Supports populations of lady beetles, spiders, and parasitic wasps by offering shelter and habitat in garden borders.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Plant 18 - 24 in apart to allow for clump development and airflow in mixed borders or matrix plantings.
Landscape Placement:
- Ideal for massing in meadow gardens, accenting water features, or interplanting with flowering perennials in naturalistic schemes.
Companion Plants
- Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' - Golden daisy like flowers contrast with airy grass plumes and bloom in tandem.
- Geranium macrorrhizum - Tough low growing foliage forms a weed suppressing groundcover around Deschampsia clumps.
- Monarda bradburiana - Spring flowering bee magnet adds pink blooms and aromatic foliage to sunny meadows.
- Asclepias incarnata - Adds height and structure while supporting monarchs and other pollinators in wetter soils.
- Amsonia hubrichtii - Fine threadlike foliage complements the texture of Deschampsia while glowing gold in fall.