Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Pheasant's Tail Grass (Anemanthele lessoniana)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Pheasant's tail grass, New Zealand wind grass, Gossamer grass.

More about pheasant's tail grass

About Pheasant's Tail Grass

Anemanthele lessoniana · also called Pheasant's tail grass, New Zealand wind grass · flowering

Anemanthele lessoniana is an elegant, evergreen bunchgrass native to New Zealand, renowned for its fine, arching leaves that shift from green to rich orange, red, and bronze tones in autumn and winter — the most ornamental cool-season display of any temperate grass. It prefers full sun to partial shade in free-draining soil and is tolerant of coastal winds and mild frost. The most important care fact is that it is evergreen and should only be lightly combed through, not cut hard back, or it will not recover. Not listed as toxic; considered pet-safe.

Cold limit: USDA 8-11 · RHS H4 (-8°C to 30°C)

Watch for — Crown rot in wet winters: The primary cause of death in UK and cool-climate gardens is waterlogging during cold, wet winters; ensure excellent drainage and avoid planting in low-lying frost pockets.

What pheasant's tail grass's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — pheasant's tail grass is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H4 and USDA 8-11, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H4 means: Hardy in an average winter across much of the temperate world. On the US scale that maps to USDA 8-11 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −10 to −5 °C. Pheasant's Tail Grass is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for pheasant's tail grass as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −10 to −5 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can pheasant's tail grass go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 8-11 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when pheasant's tail grass can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H4 figure above.

Pheasant's Tail Grass hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is pheasant's tail grass cold hardy?

Yes — pheasant's tail grass is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H4 and USDA 8-11, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Pheasant's Tail Grass is hardy across USDA 8-11; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature pheasant's tail grass can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −10 to −5 °C. Pheasant's Tail Grass is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is pheasant's tail grass?

Pheasant's Tail Grass is rated USDA 8-11 and RHS H4 — Hardy in an average winter across much of the temperate world.

Can pheasant's tail grass survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 8-11 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to pheasant's tail grass below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −10 to −5 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.