Hordeum jubatum, commonly known as Squirrel Tail Grass, is a Hardy Annual or Short-lived Perennial (H4). While it often survives mild UK winters, it is most frequently grown as an annual because its first season of growth is the most vigorous, tidy, and iridescent.

The Glow Factor: The flower spikes feature exceptionally long, fine awns that catch the light from every angle. When they first emerge, they have a distinctive shimmering purple-pink tint that eventually matures into a sophisticated pale gold, providing months of textural interest.

The Gentle Seeder: This grass is a generous self-sower. Once established, you will often find its charming, feathery seedlings popping up in gravel paths or paving cracks, helping to soften the hard landscaping of your garden naturally.

Foxtail Barley is incredibly straightforward to establish from seed, whether sown directly or started in pots.

How to Sow:
Sow indoors in March to April or directly outdoors in April/May once the soil has warmed. Surface sow the seeds onto moist compost and cover with only a very fine sprinkling of vermiculite, as light helps trigger germination. Keep at 15-20°C; seedlings typically emerge in 14-21 days.

Where to Plant:
They demand full sun to develop their iridescent colour and keep their stems upright. Foxtail Barley thrives in dry, sandy, or stony soil and strongly dislikes sitting in cold, wet clay over winter. It is the perfect choice for gravel gardens, rockeries, or hot south-facing borders.

Ongoing Care:
Once established, this grass is exceptionally low-maintenance and requires no additional feeding. If you wish to dry the plumes for arrangements, harvest the stems as soon as they emerge and before they begin to turn gold—this prevents the heads from shattering once dried. In the garden, many growers leave the heads on throughout the winter to provide food for birds and structural interest.

The soft, shimmering movement of Foxtail Barley needs bold, structural partners to create a balanced display. Pair it with these available stars:

• 🌑 Scabious 'Black Knight': The Moody Mix. The deep maroon-black, pincushion-like buttons of 'Black Knight' look incredible rising out of the soft, shimmering pink-tinged mist of the barley grass. This is a highly sophisticated textural pairing.
• 🟣 Verbena Bonariensis: The Prairie Haze. Combining the tall, see-through wiry stems of Verbena with the lower, swishy Barley creates a layered, naturalistic look that is both low-maintenance and high-impact.

Sow in spring for a fast-growing display of iridescent plumes from June through the peak of summer.