Big Quakinggrass: The Dancing Ornamental That Brings Movement to Your Garden
If you’ve ever wanted a plant that literally dances in your garden, big quakinggrass might just be your new favorite performer. This charming annual grass creates a delightful show every time the breeze picks up, with its distinctive seed heads swaying and quivering like tiny hearts suspended on delicate stems.
What is Big Quakinggrass?
Big quakinggrass (Briza maxima) is an annual ornamental grass that brings both visual interest and gentle movement to garden spaces. Despite its common name suggesting it’s a large plant, this grass typically reaches about 2 feet in height, making it a perfect mid-border addition that won’t overwhelm smaller plants.
Native Status and Where It Grows
Originally from the Mediterranean region, big quakinggrass is a non-native species that has naturalized across many parts of North America. You’ll find it growing in states and provinces including California, Oregon, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and several others from coast to coast. The plant has established itself successfully in these areas, reproducing on its own without human intervention.
The Appeal: Why Gardeners Love This Grass
What sets big quakinggrass apart from other ornamental grasses is its incredibly distinctive seed heads. These heart-shaped, papery structures dangle from thin stems and create the most mesmerizing dance when even the slightest breeze moves through them. The seed heads start green and gradually turn to an attractive golden-brown color, providing seasonal interest that extends well into fall.
Key attractive features include:
- Rapid growth rate that provides quick results
- Distinctive drooping, heart-shaped seed heads
- Excellent for cut flower arrangements, both fresh and dried
- Fine-textured green foliage that serves as a nice backdrop
- Self-sowing nature that can create naturalized drifts
Garden Roles and Design Uses
Big quakinggrass works beautifully in several garden settings. Its delicate appearance and movement make it perfect for cottage gardens, where it can weave between perennials and add textural contrast. In Mediterranean-style gardens, it feels right at home alongside lavender and other drought-tolerant plants. The grass also shines in cut flower gardens, where its unique seed heads are prized for both fresh and dried arrangements.
Consider using big quakinggrass as:
- An accent plant in mixed borders
- A filler in wildflower meadow plantings
- A cut flower crop in dedicated cutting gardens
- A naturalized drift in informal landscape areas
Growing Conditions and Care
One of big quakinggrass’s best qualities is how easy it is to grow. This adaptable annual thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, though it’s quite forgiving of poor soil conditions. It prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 5.8-7.0) and has medium drought tolerance once established.
The plant grows best in:
- Full sun locations
- Well-draining, medium to fine-textured soils
- Areas with at least 90 frost-free days
- Locations with 12-40 inches of annual precipitation
Planting and Care Tips
Growing big quakinggrass is refreshingly straightforward. Since it’s an annual that grows during fall, winter, and spring in milder climates, timing your planting is important. In most areas, fall sowing works best, though spring planting is also successful.
Here’s how to grow it successfully:
- Sow seeds directly in the garden in fall or early spring
- Scatter seeds lightly over prepared soil – no need to bury deeply
- Keep soil moderately moist until germination occurs
- Once established, the plant needs minimal care
- Allow some plants to go to seed if you want self-sowing for next year
- Harvest seed heads for dried arrangements before they shatter
Considerations for Native Gardening
While big quakinggrass isn’t considered invasive, it’s worth noting that it’s not native to North America. If you’re focused on creating habitat for native wildlife or supporting local ecosystems, you might consider native alternatives like buffalo grass, little bluestem, or native sedges that can provide similar textural interest while supporting local wildlife.
That said, big quakinggrass is wind-pollinated and doesn’t seem to cause significant ecological disruption in most areas where it’s established. The choice ultimately comes down to your gardening priorities and local conditions.
The Bottom Line
Big quakinggrass offers something special that’s hard to find in other plants – genuine movement and dance in the garden. Its ease of growth, distinctive appearance, and utility as a cut flower make it an interesting addition for gardeners looking to add texture and motion to their landscapes. Just remember to consider your local ecosystem and perhaps balance it with native alternatives that can provide similar benefits while supporting local wildlife.
Whether you’re creating a cottage garden, establishing a cutting garden, or simply want to add some gentle movement to your landscape, big quakinggrass might just be the dancing partner your garden has been waiting for.
