Mexican Feather Grass: Zones, Invasive Status, Care and Alternatives

Key takeaways

• NC State Extension rates Mexican feather grass for USDA zones 7a to 10b at 1 to 2 ft tall and wide (NC State Plant Toolbox); Proven Winners says to grow it as an annual where winters drop below 20°F (Proven Winners).
• The California Invasive Plant Council moved it from its Watch list (2015 to 2025) to a Limited invasive rating after a review evaluated May 10, 2024 and approved April 4, 2025 (Cal-IPC Plant Assessment Form).
• One plant can shed 70,000 to 100,000 seeds a year (Northern Territory Government) that live at least 7 years in soil (Humphries and Florentine, 2021); Texas A&M gives 70,000 per lifetime and 4 years (ERM-039).
• It is not a U.S. federal, Oregon or Washington noxious weed (USDA PLANTS NATE3; OAR 603-052-1200), but its look-alike, serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma), is on the federal list at 7 CFR 360.200.
• Prune lightly: Oklahoma State says remove only the top third, never cut to the ground (Oklahoma Proven); the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum calls the plant “fairly short-lived” (ASDM).
• PlantRight’s California substitutes are alkali sacaton, blue grama, purple three-awn, pine muhly, ‘White Cloud’ muhly and autumn moor grass (PlantRight, archived 2021).

What is Mexican feather grass, and what is its botanical name?

Mexican feather grass is a perennial needlegrass named Nassella tenuissima (Trin.) Barkworth in Taxon 39: 612 in 1990, per the International Plant Names Index. Nurseries still sell it as Stipa tenuissima, its 1836 name, and IPNI records a third combination, Jarava tenuissima (Trin.) D.L.Fu. USDA’s PLANTS Database files it under symbol NATE3 as finestem needlegrass, native to the lower 48 states.

Measure	Mexican feather grass	Source
Botanical name	Nassella tenuissima (Trin.) Barkworth, Taxon 39: 612 (1990)	IPNI; USDA PLANTS
Synonyms	Stipa tenuissima Trin.; Jarava tenuissima (Trin.) D.L.Fu	IPNI; USDA PLANTS
USDA symbol, common name	NATE3, finestem needlegrass	USDA PLANTS
Native range	Far west Texas, southern New Mexico to central Mexico; Argentina, Chile	Texas A&M ERM-039; PlantRight
USDA hardiness zones	7a to 10b	NC State; Proven Winners
Height x spread	1 to 2 ft x 1 to 2 ft (NC State); 12 to 24 in x 20 to 24 in (Proven Winners)	NC State; PW
Leaf	Thread-like, 0.25 to 0.5 mm across, about 60 cm (24 in) long	Queensland Government
Seed awn	4.5 to 9 cm long	NSW WeedWise; Agriculture Victoria
Sun	Full sun (6+ hours) to partial shade (2 to 6 hours)	NC State
Water	Low to moderate; may go dormant in hot, dry months	ASDM; NC State
Cold limit	Hardy to minus 10°F (ASDM); annual below 20°F (Proven Winners)	ASDM; PW
Seed per plant	70,000 to 100,000 per year	NT Government; Cal-IPC PAF

Its home range is narrow. Texas A&M AgriLife calls it one of the most common grasses of the Trans-Pecos, naming Jeff Davis, Brewster, Culberson, Presidio, Pecos, Val Verde and King counties (ERM-039, Russell and Rector, 10/17). PlantRight adds a separate native population in Argentina and Chile. Calflora records it as not native to California (Calflora).

Which plant does “feather grass” mean?

“Feather grass” covers at least 4 plants. Feather reed grass ‘Karl Foerster’ is a seed-sterile hybrid 5 to 6 ft tall in bloom, covered in our Karl Foerster feather reed grass guide. Giant feather grass reaches 6 to 8 ft (NC State), and serrated tussock is a federal noxious weed.

Common name	Botanical name	Height	Zones	Status	Source
Mexican feather grass	Nassella tenuissima	1 to 2 ft	7a to 10b	Cal-IPC Limited; banned in parts of Australia	NC State; Cal-IPC
Feather reed grass ‘Karl Foerster’	Calamagrostis x acutiflora	5 to 6 ft in bloom	4 to 7 reliable	Seed-sterile hybrid	Our guide (CBG, Hoffman)
Giant feather grass	Celtica (Stipa) gigantea	6 to 8 ft	5a to 8b	Not listed	NC State
Serrated tussock	Nassella trichotoma	About 45 cm (18 in)	n/a	U.S. federal noxious weed	7 CFR 360.200; NSW

What zones, sun and water does Mexican feather grass need?

Mexican feather grass is rated for USDA zones 7a to 10b by NC State Extension and Proven Winners, which means average winter lows of 0°F or warmer on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It wants full sun, sharp drainage and little water: NC State warns that overly wet soils cause root rot and that it “will not do well in the hot humid conditions of the southeast.”

The zone numbers do not line up. Proven Winners prints 7a to 10b yet tells growers to treat the plant as an annual below 20°F, which is the bottom of zone 9a. PanAmerican Seed sells its ColorGrass ‘Pony Tails’ strain for zones 6a to 10b (PanAmerican Seed), and Kansas State’s trial page lists an advertised zone of 5 and 6 for ‘Pony Tails’ (K-State).

Source	Zones or cold limit	Height x spread	Type of source
NC State Plant Toolbox	7a to 10b	1 to 2 ft x 1 to 2 ft	Extension
Oklahoma Proven (OSU)	Zone 7	Almost 2 ft x 3 ft	Extension
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum	Hardy to minus 10°F	2 ft x 2 ft	Botanic garden
Proven Winners	7a to 10b; annual below 20°F	12 to 24 in x 20 to 24 in	Maker
PanAmerican Seed, ColorGrass Pony Tails	6a to 10b	16 to 24 in x 24 in	Seed breeder
Kansas State trial, Stipa Pony Tails	Advertised zone 5 and 6	20 in x 8 in, year 1	University trial
RHS (UK)	H4, minus 10 to minus 5°C	0.5 to 1 m x 0.1 to 0.5 m	Horticultural society

Water need is low once roots establish. The Desert Museum rates it “low to moderate water use” and warns it “can be invasive in wetter landscapes” (ASDM). Texas A&M describes a plant that “can go dormant during drought” and regrows after extended dry spells, and NC State places that dormancy in the hottest months.

Is Mexican feather grass invasive?

Yes, in some places, and the legal answer depends on where you stand. As of October 2026, Cal-IPC rates Mexican feather grass Limited in California, Victoria and New South Wales prohibit it outright, New Zealand bans its sale under the National Pest Plant Accord, and South Africa lists it as Category 1b. USDA PLANTS records no federal or state noxious listing for it, and Oregon’s and Washington’s weed lists omit it.

California’s rating changed in 2025. Cal-IPC’s Plant Assessment Form says the species “was listed as a ‘Watch’ species from 2015 to 2025” and now scores Limited, with a documentation score of 3.5 out of 5 (Cal-IPC PAF; 2025 inventory update). The same form records that it “appears primarily as a waif in California wildlands,” with the earliest record from 1998 and sightings mostly along the coast from the Bay Area to San Diego.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Jurisdiction	Status of Nassella tenuissima	Rule or listing	Source
United States (federal)	Not listed	7 CFR 360.200 names serrated tussock only	eCFR; USDA PLANTS
California	Invasive, Limited (Watch 2015 to 2025); PlantRight do-not-plant	Cal-IPC Inventory, 2025 update	Cal-IPC PAF
Florida	High risk, score 21 (not a legal listing)	UF/IFAS Assessment, March 22, 2018	UF/IFAS WRA
Oregon	Not listed	OAR 603-052-1200, amended Oct. 1, 2024	OAR 603-052-1200; ODA
Washington	Not listed	WAC 16-750 Class A, B and C lists	WSNWCB list
Texas	Native to the Trans-Pecos; escapes onto disturbed rangeland	No listing; Extension advisory	Texas A&M ERM-039
Victoria, Australia	State prohibited weed	Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994	Agriculture Victoria
New South Wales	Prohibited matter; must not be sold	Biosecurity Act 2015	NSW WeedWise
Queensland	Prohibited invasive plant; report sightings	Biosecurity Act 2014	Business Queensland
South Australia	Declared category 1; State Alert Weed	Landscape South Australia Act 2019, policy dated March 28, 2021	SA policy
Tasmania	Declared; import, sale and distribution prohibited	Biosecurity Act 2019	NRE Tasmania
Northern Territory	Class A declared weed	NT declared weed list	NT Government
New Zealand	National Pest Plant Accord species; no breeding, sale or distribution	NPPA 2020	Auckland Council; NZPCN
South Africa	Category 1b (as “white tussock”)	NEM:BA Alien and Invasive Species Lists, Notice 1003, Sept. 18, 2020	Government Gazette 43726
Europe (EPPO)	Observation List, re-prioritized 2022/23	EPPO prioritization summary	EPPO

Australia treats it hardest because its close relative, serrated tussock, is “widely regarded as Australia’s worst pasture weed.” Agriculture Victoria estimates that 14 million to several 100 million hectares of Australian land could be vulnerable, and records that about 4,000 plants were supplied to Victorian stores between January and May 2008 under other names (Agriculture Victoria). Its staff still remove plants at no cost to the owner.

How many seeds does one plant make?

One plant can shed 70,000 to 100,000 seeds a year, according to the Northern Territory Government and Cal-IPC, and Humphries and Florentine’s 2021 review in Plants gives “up to 100,000 seeds per plant annually” (Plants 10(6):1036). The figures that circulate in care guides are often garbled, so the table below sets each source beside its exact claim.

Claim	Source says	Source
Seeds per plant	About 70,000 “in a lifetime”	Texas A&M ERM-039 (2017)
Seeds per plant	70,000 to 100,000 per year	NT Government; Cal-IPC PAF
Seeds per plant	Up to 100,000 per year	Humphries and Florentine 2021
Seed-bank life	Up to 4 years	Queensland Government; Texas A&M
Seed-bank life	At least 7 years	Cal-IPC PAF; Humphries and Florentine 2021
Germination of one nursery seed lot	20% at 23°C	Humphries and Florentine 2021
Active buds per tiller	12 to 20	Texas A&M ERM-039

Even at the 20% germination measured in one nursery seed lot, which the authors suspected had low viability, one plant’s yearly seed implies 14,000 to 20,000 potential seedlings.

Input	Low case	High case	Basis
Seeds shed by 1 plant in 1 year	70,000	100,000	NT Government; Humphries and Florentine
Germination rate applied	20%	20%	Mount Macedon nursery seed lot (Humphries and Florentine)
Potential seedlings (seeds x 20%)	14,000	20,000	GIR arithmetic
Years those seeds can stay viable	4	7	Queensland, Texas A&M; Cal-IPC, Humphries and Florentine

How do you tell Mexican feather grass from serrated tussock?

Check the seed tail. Mexican feather grass seeds carry an awn 4.5 to 9 cm long and the flower heads stand upright, while serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma) has a 2.5 to 3.5 cm awn and drooping heads, per Agriculture Victoria and NSW WeedWise. The Northern Territory says the two can only be told apart when flowering.

Feature	Mexican feather grass (N. tenuissima)	Serrated tussock (N. trichotoma)	Source
Awn (seed tail)	4.5 to 9 cm	2.5 to 3.5 cm (NSW: 25 mm)	Agriculture Victoria; NSW WeedWise
Flower heads	Upright	Drooping	NSW WeedWise
Height	About 70 cm	About 45 cm	Victoria; NSW
Leaf color	Brighter green	Duller green	Auckland Council
Seed	2 to 3 mm, narrower	Wider	NSW WeedWise
U.S. legal status	Not listed	Federal noxious weed; Arkansas noxious	7 CFR 360.200; USDA PLANTS NATR3
South Africa	Category 1b	Category 1b	Gazette 43726

Leaves alone will not settle it. Mexican feather grass blades are rolled tight and feel coarse when you slide your fingers down them, per Agriculture Victoria, but that only separates it from flat-leaved fountain grass and native Poa, which Victoria lists among plants commonly reported in error. Fountain grass has its own profile in our fountain grass guide.

The legal gap between the two is wide. Serrated tussock is a federal noxious weed under 7 CFR 360.200(c), and Oregon’s quarantine rule bars every plant on that federal list by reference (OAR 603-052-1200).

Will Mexican feather grass spread, and how do you keep it in the bed?

It will spread by seed wherever the seed lands on open, disturbed ground, and Texas A&M records seed moving by wind, water, soil, vehicles and animal droppings. Cal-IPC says it escapes residential plantings along urban roadways and sidewalks. Containment means removing seed heads before they ripen and pulling seedlings every spring.

1. Site it away from open land. Texas A&M advises against planting it near rangeland or agricultural land with soil disturbance (ERM-039).
2. Shear off flowering stems once they emerge, before seed sets, as Arkansas Extension’s Gerald Klingaman advises when reseeding is a concern (UACES, March 23, 2007).
3. Bag the clipped heads and put them in the trash, not the compost, because seed can stay viable 4 to 7 years.
4. Pull or dig seedlings while they are small, roots included; Cal-IPC notes plants can resprout if roots are not fully removed (Cal-IPC PAF).
5. Do not mow or string-trim escaped patches. Texas A&M says mowing and haying are more likely to spread the seed.
6. For large rangeland escapes, Texas A&M cites Australian research showing 76 to 100 percent kill from 1.5 percent glyphosate sprayed on individual plants.

This page is general information, not pesticide advice. The label is the law: confirm the site, rate and any applicator license your state requires before spraying.

Should you cut back or comb out Mexican feather grass?

Comb or trim it, but do not scalp it. Oklahoma State says the grass “does not like to be cut to the ground in spring like other grasses” and to remove only the top third to rejuvenate it (Oklahoma Proven). The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum cuts it back in early spring, and the RHS says wait until early spring rather than late autumn.

Source	What it says	When
Oklahoma State (Oklahoma Proven)	Remove only the top third; do not cut to the ground	Spring
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum	Cut back to remove dormant foliage and dried seed heads	Early spring
University of Arkansas Extension	Shear for a tidier look; delay if reseeding is a concern	Late winter, before new growth
RHS	Cut leaves back when they die off	Early spring, not late autumn
Proven Winners	Remove brown growth now or in spring; divide in spring only	Any time; spring
Henderson County Master Gardeners (Texas)	“Prune off or rake out dead foliage”	Before new foliage emerges

1. Late winter: rake or comb dead blades out of the clump with gloved fingers or a fan rake.
2. If the clump stays flat or brown, shear off the top third, per Oklahoma State.
3. Early summer: clip flowering stems once they emerge if you want to stop seed.
4. Spring, every few years: lift and divide crowded clumps (Proven Winners, RHS), or replace them.

How long does Mexican feather grass live?

Expect a short life. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum calls it “fairly short-lived, but will reseed in the landscape,” and the RHS lists 2 to 5 years to maturity (RHS). No extension source we found gives a lifespan in years. Plan to replace or divide clumps rather than counting on decades from one plant.

Is Mexican feather grass deer resistant, pet safe and fire safe?

NC State lists deer, drought and erosion as conditions it resists (NC State), but Rutgers’ deer ratings do not include it, the ASPCA plant lists have no entry, and fire sources disagree. Cal-IPC judges it “likely only minor wildfire hazard” in California wildlands, while Texas A&M calls it “fire prone.”

Question	Finding	Source
Deer	Listed as deer resistant	NC State
Deer (Rutgers ratings)	Not rated; little bluestem and blue fescue rated “Rarely Damaged”	Rutgers NJAES
Dogs and cats	No entry on the ASPCA toxic or non-toxic lists	ASPCA
Seed hazard	Florets “very sharp with long awns”	Texas A&M ERM-039
Livestock	Unpalatable; avoids grazing pressure	Texas A&M; Cal-IPC
Fire (California wildlands)	Fine leaves add fuel, but “likely only minor wildfire hazard”	Cal-IPC PAF
Fire (Australia)	Dry build-ups “can increase fire risk and hazard”	SA policy, 2021

What can you plant instead of Mexican feather grass?

For California, PlantRight lists alkali sacaton, blue grama, purple three-awn, pine muhly, ‘White Cloud’ muhly and autumn moor grass as substitutes (PlantRight, archived 2021). Elsewhere, prairie dropseed and little bluestem survive to zone 3a, four zones colder than Mexican feather grass, and NC State lists both as deer and drought resistant.

Plant	USDA zones	Height x spread	Water	Native range	Source
Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima), for comparison	7a to 10b	1 to 2 ft x 1 to 2 ft	Low to moderate	Far west Texas, New Mexico, Mexico; Argentina, Chile	NC State; ASDM
Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)	3a to 9b	2 to 3 ft x 2 to 3 ft	Dry to occasionally dry; drought resistant	Canada to U.S.	NC State
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)	3a to 9b	2 to 4 ft x 1.5 to 3 ft	Drought and dry soil resistant	Eastern North America	NC State
Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)	3a to 10b	6 in to 2 ft x 1.5 to 2 ft	Tolerates very dry soil	West and central Canada to Mexico	NC State; PlantRight
‘Blonde Ambition’ blue grama (PP 22,048) (Bouteloua gracilis)	4 to 9	30 to 36 in x 30 to 36 in	Moderate to xeric	Species native to 22 states	Plant Select
Pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris)	5a to 9b	2 to 3 ft x 2.3 to 3 ft	Drought, heat and humidity resistant	Central and eastern U.S. to Guatemala	NC State
UNDAUNTED ruby muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘PUND01S’)	5 to 10	15 to 18 in (30 in in flower) x 18 to 24 in	Moderate to dry	Selected from a north-central Texas population	Plant Select
Pine muhly (Muhlenbergia dubia)	Not stated	2 to 3 ft x 2 to 3 ft at maturity; 2.5 x 4.8 ft after 2 years at Davis	Low (WUCOLS region 2)	Southwestern U.S. to northern Mexico	UC Davis UCLPIT; PlantRight
Alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides)	Not stated	2 to 3.5 ft tall	Drought tolerant rangeland grass	South Dakota to Washington, south to Texas and Mexico	USDA NRCS Plant Guide; PlantRight

1. Mexican feather grass7
2. Prairie dropseed3
3. Little bluestem3
4. Blue grama3
5. 'Blonde Ambition'4
6. Pink muhly5
7. UNDAUNTED ruby muhly5

Source: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox; Plant Select (checked October 2026) Half zones shown as the whole zone (7a = 7). Values match the alternatives table.

Show the numbers

	Coldest rated USDA zone
Mexican feather grass	7
Prairie dropseed	3
Little bluestem	3
Blue grama	3
'Blonde Ambition'	4
Pink muhly	5
UNDAUNTED ruby muhly	5

1. Mexican feather grass24
2. Prairie dropseed36
3. Little bluestem48
4. Blue grama24
5. 'Blonde Ambition'36
6. Pink muhly36
7. UNDAUNTED ruby muhly18
8. Pine muhly36
9. Alkali sacaton42

Source: NC State Extension; Plant Select; UC Davis UCLPIT; USDA NRCS plant guide (checked October 2026) Foliage height at the top of each source's range; UNDAUNTED reaches 30 in in flower. Values match the alternatives table.

Show the numbers

	Height, high end of range
Mexican feather grass	24
Prairie dropseed	36
Little bluestem	48
Blue grama	24
'Blonde Ambition'	36
Pink muhly	36
UNDAUNTED ruby muhly	18
Pine muhly	36
Alkali sacaton	42

Pink muhly, rated for zones 5a to 9b with heat and humidity resistance, is the closest match for a fine, airy clump in the Southeast, where NC State says Mexican feather grass struggles; our pink muhly grass guide covers spacing and cultivars. For the full field of options by zone and sun, see our ornamental grasses guide.

UC Master Gardeners in Tulare and Kings counties pair Mexican feather grass with pampas grass as the two ornamental grasses to avoid there, citing fire danger and crop damage, and suggest ‘Blonde Ambition’ and ‘Karl Foerster’ instead (UC Master Gardeners, April 26, 2025). Pampas grass has its own page: pampas grass plant guide.

How many plants does a bed take, and what do they cost?

Proven Winners spaces Mexican feather grass 20 to 24 in apart, so a 100 sq ft bed takes 25 to 36 plants. At B.B. Barns’ listed online price of $16.99 per 1 gal pot on Oct. 30, 2026 (B.B. Barns), that is $424.75 to $611.64 before tax; pink muhly listed at the same $16.99 and prairie dropseed at $17.99.

Spacing on center	Sq ft per plant	Plants per 100 sq ft	Cost at $16.99 each	Cost at $17.99 each
18 in	2.25	45 (44.4 rounded up)	$764.55	$809.55
20 in (Proven Winners low end)	2.78	36	$611.64	$647.64
24 in (Proven Winners high end)	4.00	25	$424.75	$449.75
30 in	6.25	16	$271.84	$287.84

Bed area (sq ft)Plant (B.B. Barns 1 gal online listing, Oct. 30, 2026)Mexican feather grass, 1 gal ($16.99)Pink muhly, 1 gal ($16.99)Prairie dropseed, 1 gal ($17.99)Spacing on center (square grid)20 inches (Proven Winners low end)24 inches (Proven Winners high end)18 inches30 inches

Plants needed

36

Estimated plant cost, before tax and delivery$610 to $610

Plants = bed area divided by (spacing in feet squared), rounded up. Cost uses the unrounded count. Default: 100 sq ft at 20 in = 36 plants; at $16.99 per 1 gal Mexican feather grass, $611.64, as in the worked table. Listings were shown out of stock on Oct. 30, 2026.

CSU Extension’s weed-control depth for inorganic mulch is about 3 inches, as our river rock cost guide details; our mulch calculator guide converts that depth to cubic yards for a 100 sq ft bed. More species profiles sit in our Turf and Trees section.

Should you plant Mexican feather grass?

Plant it only in a dry, sunny bed in zones 7 to 10, away from open land, in a state where it is legal, and only if you will clip seed heads every year. In the six Australian states and territories in the status table, New Zealand and South Africa, weed law bars or restricts it. In California, Proven Winners itself says it is “not recommended for California gardens.”

If your situation is	Do this	Why (source)
You live in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia or the NT	Do not plant; report plants you find	State prohibited, prohibited matter or declared weed (Agriculture Victoria; NSW)
You live in New Zealand or South Africa	Do not plant or sell it	NPPA species (Auckland Council); NEM:BA Category 1b (Gazette 43726)
You garden in California	Plant blue grama, alkali sacaton or pine muhly instead	Cal-IPC Limited rating; PlantRight do-not-plant list (Cal-IPC)
The bed borders rangeland, pasture, open grassland or a wildland trail	Choose a native grass for your region	Escapes onto disturbed rangeland (Texas A&M ERM-039)
Winter lows fall below 0°F (zone 6 or colder)	Plant prairie dropseed or little bluestem (zone 3a)	Rated from zone 7a (NC State)
Hot, humid Southeast summers	Plant pink muhly (zones 5a to 9b)	“Will not do well in the hot humid conditions of the southeast” (NC State)
Heavy or irrigated soil that stays wet	Skip it or regrade for drainage	Root rot in overly wet soils (NC State)
Zones 7 to 10, dry sunny bed, outside California and away from open land	Plant at 20 to 24 in; clip seed stems each summer; pull seedlings each spring	Spacing (Proven Winners); seed control (UACES)

1. 1Are you in Australia, New Zealand or South Africa?

   YesDo not plant it. It is prohibited or declared in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and the NT, an NPPA species in New Zealand and Category 1b in South Africa. Report plants you find.

   NoGo to the next question

2. 2Are you in California?

   YesSkip it. Cal-IPC rates it Limited invasive and PlantRight lists it do-not-plant; try blue grama, alkali sacaton or pine muhly.

   NoGo to the next question

3. 3Does the bed border rangeland, pasture, open grassland or a wildland trail?

   YesSkip it. Texas A&M AgriLife advises against planting it near rangeland or disturbed agricultural land.

   NoGo to the next question

4. 4Do winter lows fall below 0°F (USDA zone 6 or colder)?

   YesPlant prairie dropseed or little bluestem, rated to zone 3a; NC State rates Mexican feather grass from zone 7a.

   NoGo to the next question

5. 5Are your summers hot and humid, as in the Southeast?

   YesPlant pink muhly (zones 5a to 9b); NC State says Mexican feather grass does poorly in hot, humid Southeast summers.

   NoPlant it 20 to 24 in apart in a dry, sunny bed, clip the flower stems before seed ripens each summer and pull seedlings each spring.

Source: Agriculture Victoria; Auckland Council; Gazette 43726; Cal-IPC PAF; Texas A&M ERM-039; NC State Extension; Proven Winners

Question	Short answer	Source
Zones	7a to 10b; annual below 20°F	NC State; PW
Size	1 to 2 ft tall and wide	NC State
Seeds	70,000 to 100,000 per plant per year	NT Government
California status	Cal-IPC Limited since 2025	Cal-IPC PAF
Banned	Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, SA, NT; New Zealand; South Africa	Victoria; Auckland; South Africa
Pruning	Comb or remove the top third in spring	Oklahoma State
Look-alike	Serrated tussock: 2.5 to 3.5 cm awn, federal noxious weed	Victoria; 7 CFR 360.200