Red Tussock

Botanical name: Chionochloa rubra subsp. rubra var. rubra
Synonyms: Danthonia antarctica var. delta minor
Common name(s): Red Tussock, Snow Grass

About:
A striking native snow tussock renowned for its rich red to copper foliage and graceful upright habit. One of New Zealand’s most iconic tussock grasses, it thrives in cool, exposed landscapes and often dominates subalpine wetlands and grasslands. Its colourful foliage and elegant seed heads make it a favourite for both ecological restoration and ornamental planting.

Natural habitat:
Subalpine to alpine tussock grasslands, shallow bogs, wet hollows, pond margins, tarn edges, slow-flowing streams, subalpine scrub and occasional canopy gaps in upper montane forests.

Growing environment:
Prefers cool climates, full sun and moist to wet soils, although established plants tolerate periods of dryness and poor soils. Performs best in exposed sites with good airflow and dislikes prolonged heat and humidity.

Endemic distribution:
Endemic to New Zealand. Found in the North Island from the Volcanic Plateau southwards, and locally in Marlborough and North Canterbury in the South Island.

Height:
1–1.5 m

Width:
0.5–1.2 m

Flowering:
October–December

Fruiting:
November–May

Uses:
• Large-scale landscaping
• Wetland and bog restoration
• Feature specimen planting
• Coastal and exposed gardens
• Native grassland restoration
• Container planting
• Borders and rockeries

Appearance:

Growth habit:
A tall, dense, clump-forming evergreen tussock with crowded, erect to gracefully arching foliage. Mature plants form impressive mounds that sway beautifully in the wind.

Leaves:
Leaves are long, narrow and rush-like, up to 1 m long, coloured green flushed with red, copper or deep reddish-brown. The foliage becomes especially vivid in cooler weather. Older leaf sheaths persist around the base, adding texture and colour.

Flowers:
Produces large, open flowering panicles on stems up to 1.5 m tall from late spring to summer. The flower heads are brown to bronze and create an attractive airy display above the foliage.

Fruit:
Small wind-dispersed seeds mature from late summer into autumn and are carried on elegant seed heads that remain attractive for many months.

Ecology:
Florets are dispersed by wind. Red tussock often dominates wet subalpine grasslands and bog margins, providing shelter and habitat for native insects and birds. It is classified as a facultative wetland species, occurring naturally in both wetland and non-wetland environments.

Associated habitats:
Subalpine tussock grasslands, alpine herbfields, bogs, tarn margins, seepages, wetlands, montane scrub and cool open forests.

How to grow:
Plant in full sun or light shade in moist, free-draining soil. Although adaptable to wet and low-fertility sites, it performs best where soils remain cool and moisture is reliable. Avoid hot, humid conditions. Once established it is remarkably hardy and tolerant of wind, frost and poor soils.

Propagation:
Easy to grow from fresh seed or by division of mature clumps. Plants can be slow to establish initially but are long-lived and durable once settled.

Cultural use:
Red tussock is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable alpine grasses and an iconic feature of the central North Island volcanic plateau and southern high-country landscapes.

Garden value:
An outstanding landscaping tussock valued for its year-round reddish foliage, graceful movement and adaptability. Spectacular when planted en masse in exposed sites, where the wind accentuates the flowing habit and changing colours of the leaves.