Field ManualAll plants

Mexican Feather Grass
Nassella tenuissima
- Fine-Textured Accent Grass
- Weedy/Prolific Self-Seeder
- Invasive Outside Native Range
Pet & Human Safety
People: Not researchedPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
People: not researched yet.
No toxicity claim found from either ASPCA or NC State Extension for this species. The more significant flag here is horticultural, not toxicological: see the invasive-status note below above. A more mechanical, non-toxicity caution worth passing along regardless of pet species: the seed heads' stiff, sharp awns can work into skin, fur, eyes, and ears the way foxtail grass awns famously do for dogs, though that specific claim is not confirmed for this species by name: flagged as a general awned-grass caution, not a sourced fact about this species specifically.
PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.
Poison control
If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.
Naturalist Lore
Historical Background & Breeding Lore
The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.
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- Hardiness zones
Not checked yet
- Mature size
1-2 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide (NC State Extension).
- Family
Poaceae (grass family)
- Where it comes from
New Mexico, Texas, Mexico, and Argentina (NC State Extension): notably not including Florida.
How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.
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Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics
How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.
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Field Doctor
What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.
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Vintage Plates
Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.
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