Mature size & growth rate

How big does Greater Quaking Grass (Briza maxima) get?

Also called greater quaking grass, big quaking grass, rattlesnake grass.

More about greater quaking grass

About Greater Quaking Grass

Briza maxima · also called greater quaking grass, big quaking grass · flowering

Greater quaking grass (Briza maxima) is a self-seeding cool-season annual prized for nodding, locket-shaped spikelets that shimmer and rattle in the breeze. Grown in full sun on lean, well-drained soil, it forms a loose tuft of fine green blades topped by airy panicles that ripen from green to straw, excellent fresh or dried for arrangements.

Mature size: 45-60 cm tall and 20-30 cm wide (18-24 in tall)

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Greater Quaking Grass reaches its full size within one growing season — there is no "long-term" size, just how big it gets before you harvest or it dies back. Indoors and in a pot, expect 45-60 cm tall and 20-30 cm wide (18-24 in tall). A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

It sizes up fast and once, racing from seedling to full size in a single season; after cropping it is finished, so size is a within-season question.

Growth rate and years to mature

Greater Quaking Grass is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect a single growing season — it reaches full size in one year, then is done. Its feeding profile backs this up: needs little to no feeding. on very poor ground a single light dressing of balanced fertiliser at sowing is enough; excess nitrogen causes lank growth and fewer seed heads.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the greater quaking grass repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast greater quaking grass grows.

How to keep greater quaking grass smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For greater quaking grass specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Choose a compact or dwarf variety of greater quaking grass from the start — that is the most reliable size control for an annual.
Grow it in a smaller container to naturally limit how large it gets.
For some crops, pinching or pruning the growing tips keeps the plant shorter and bushier.
Sow a little later or space plants closer if you specifically want smaller individual plants.

How to grow greater quaking grass bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for greater quaking grass the accelerators are:

Full sun, warm soil and steady water are what drive a crop to full size fastest.
Sow at the right time for your zone so it gets the whole season to size up.
Feed appropriately for the crop and never let it check (stall) from drought or cold.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The greater quaking grass light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When greater quaking grass outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for greater quaking grass:

It sprawls beyond its bed or container before harvest — usually a spacing or support issue.
It flops or needs staking once it hits full height.
Once it has fruited or bolted, it is at its final size for good — the next plant is a new sowing.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the greater quaking grass repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the greater quaking grass propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Greater Quaking Grass size — frequently asked questions

How big does greater quaking grass get?

Greater Quaking Grass reaches 45-60 cm tall and 20-30 cm wide (18-24 in tall) when grown indoors. It sizes up fast and once, racing from seedling to full size in a single season; after cropping it is finished, so size is a within-season question.

Is greater quaking grass slow or fast growing?

Greater Quaking Grass is a moderate grower. Expect a single growing season — it reaches full size in one year, then is done. Greater Quaking Grass reaches its full size within one growing season — there is no "long-term" size, just how big it gets before you harvest or it dies back.

How long does greater quaking grass take to reach full size?

Roughly a single growing season — it reaches full size in one year, then is done. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep greater quaking grass smaller?

Choose a compact or dwarf variety of greater quaking grass from the start — that is the most reliable size control for an annual. Grow it in a smaller container to naturally limit how large it gets. For some crops, pinching or pruning the growing tips keeps the plant shorter and bushier. Sow a little later or space plants closer if you specifically want smaller individual plants.

How can I make greater quaking grass grow bigger or faster?

Full sun, warm soil and steady water are what drive a crop to full size fastest. Sow at the right time for your zone so it gets the whole season to size up. Feed appropriately for the crop and never let it check (stall) from drought or cold.