Native to meadows and pastures of Europe and Asia, this creeping perennial grass is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes wheat, rice, and bamboo. It is known by many names including cow-quake, didder, dodder-grass, earthquakes, jiggle-joggles, jockey-grass, lady’s-hair, maidenhair-grass, pearl grass, tottergrass, and wag-wantons. The narrow, erect semi-evergreen leaves form dense clumps that are 12-18″ tall. In spring, loose panicles of tiny greenish flowers appear well above the foliage so that the total height of the flowering plant is 24-36″. The panicles are composed of up to 20 branches with 60 spikelets and the flowers resemble rattlesnake tail segments. The purplish seed heads that follow turn tan with maturity and quiver in the slightest breeze. Quaking grass is considered an ornamental grass although it may be invasive in favorable conditions and is a good choice for cottage, meadow, and prairie gardens. Stems of seedheads are excellent in both fresh and dried arrangements. The genus name, Briza, comes from the Greek word βρίζω (brizo) meaning nod, and refers to the motion of the spikelet’s in a breeze. The specific epithet, media, is the Latin word meaning intermediate and probably refers to its size relative to other members of the genus.
Type: Perennial grass
Bloom: Small, greenish flowers in spring
Size: 12-18″ (up to 36″ when in flower)
Light: Full sun but tolerates some shade at the expense of flowers
Soil: Average, moderately moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Care: Cut back immediately after flowering to encourage fresh growth
Pests and Diseases: None of significance but does not tolerate high heat in summer
Propagation: Division
Companion Plants: Redhot poker, Shasta daisy, bronze fennel
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Karen