Common name
Tall Spear-Grass; Knotty Spear-Grass
Position
Full and partial sun
Flower shape and colour
1-4 single florets. Floral bract brown. (Yarra Ranges Council | Austrostipa nodosa | Knotty Spear-grass)
Form
Grass Sedge or Flax
Suitability for landscaping
An ornamental tufting perennial for mixed native landscapes, borders, and wider verges. Mass plant for effect. Caterpillar food plant for native butterfly species. Food source and habitat for small birds and lizards. (Botanic Gardens | Austrostipa nodosa)
Graceful grass with attractive flowerheads. Drift through trees or use as accent plants in garden beds and rockeries. Tip of florets can be sharp, penetrating skin of people, pets and stockPropagation. (Yarra Ranges Council | Austrostipa nodosa | Knotty Spear-grass)
Propagation
By sowing seeds.
Cultivation
Tube stock is available at Native nurseries, notably at the SA State flora nursery (SA State flora catalogue, p. 37)
References | acknowledgements
- Atlas of Living Australia 2025. Austrostipa nodosa | Knotty Spear-Grass, Provides information about the characteristics and distribution of Austrostipa nodosa.
- Botanic Gardens of South Australia 2025. Austrostipa nodosa, Provides information about the plant features and uses of the Native grass.
- knicolson 2022, Austrostipa nodosa. Provides information about the image by knicolson stored in iNaturalistAU of the Austrostipa nodosa.
- Seeds of South Australia 2025, Austrostipa nodosa (Gramineae) | Knotty Spear-grass. Provides detailed information about the distribution of Austrostipa nodosa in regional South Australia as well as images of the plant in situ and its seed.
- Yarra Ranges Council 2025, Austrostipa nodosa | Knotty Spear-grass. Provides a list of plant characteristics for Austrostipa nodosa.