Hordeum Jubatum Seeds (Foxtail Barley)
If you want to add movement, softness, and a touch of magic to your borders, Foxtail Barley is essential. It produces clumps of arching, feathery flower spikes that look like silky squirrels' tails. Emerging with a beautiful pinkish-purple iridescent sheen, they fade to a soft, golden beige as the summer progresses.
This grass catches the light like no other. Plant it where the evening sun can shine through it, and it will glow. It is incredibly fast-growing, flowering in just a few months from seed, making it the perfect "filler" for new borders or for softening the edges of a path. It is also a must-have for dried flower arrangements, adding an airy, professional finish to bouquets.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Hordeum jubatum is a Short-lived Perennial (usually grown as a Hardy Annual).
It often survives mild winters, but it is best treated as an annual because the first year's growth is the most vigorous and tidy.
The Self-Seeder: This grass seeds itself freely. If you leave the heads on, you will find little grassy seedlings popping up in gravel or cracks in the patio, which can look very charming!
Top Tip: To dry it, cut the stems as soon as the pink plumes appear. If you wait too long, the heads will shatter when dried. Hang them upside down in a dark place.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
This is a very easy grass to start from seed.
Germination:
Sow directly outdoors in April-May, or indoors in March-April. Surface sow onto moist compost and cover with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite. Keep warm (15-20°C). Germination takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
It demands full sun. It thrives in dry, sandy, or stony soil. It hates sitting in wet, cold clay. It is the perfect candidate for a gravel garden or a hot, south-facing border.
Care While Growing:
It is very low maintenance. It doesn't need feeding. If the plant looks messy after the first flush of flowers, you can cut it back, but most gardeners leave the seed heads on for the birds and winter interest.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Hordeum jubatum |
| Common Name | Foxtail Barley / Squirrel Tail Grass |
| Hardiness | H4 (Hardy Annual/Short-lived Perennial) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 50cm - 60cm |
| Spread | ↔️ 30cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 30cm apart |
| Great for | 🌾 Prairie Planting 🍂 Dried Flowers 🏜️ Gravel Gardens 🏺 Containers |
| Seed Count | Approx. 100 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The soft, horizontal movement of Foxtail Barley needs bold, upright partners to create contrast:
- 🌑 Scabious 'Black Knight': The Moody Mix. The deep maroon-black buttons of the Scabious look incredible rising out of the soft, pink-tinged mist of the barley grass.
- 🟣 Verbena Bonariensis: The Purple Haze. Combining the tall, wiry stems of Verbena with the lower, swishy grass creates a layered, naturalistic prairie look that is buzzing with life.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow indoors in spring. Plant out in May/June. Flowers June to August.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Indoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
This plant adds incredible texture to the garden without blocking the view. It is perfect for softening the edges of paths and adding movement to rigid planting schemes.
- Regular price
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£2.30 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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£2.30
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