Giant needlegrass
Stipa coronata
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
36"–60" H × 24"–36" W
Bloom
Apr, May
Native to
CA
Pollinators
wind pollinated
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaGiant needlegrass is a coarse, clumping evergreen bunchgrass with tall, arching flower stalks that carry sharp-pointed seeds in spring. It grows in open grassland and chaparral.
Wildlife value
As a wind-pollinated grass it offers little directly to pollinators, but its dense bunch form provides nesting material and cover for ground-dwelling birds and insects.
Common questions
- How much sun does Giant needlegrass need?
- Giant needlegrass grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Giant needlegrass bloom?
- Giant needlegrass blooms in April and May.
- Where is Giant needlegrass native?
- Giant needlegrass (Stipa coronata) is native to CA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What pollinators does Giant needlegrass attract?
- Giant needlegrass draws wind pollinated.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow Giant needlegrass? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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