Curly Mitchell grass Plant Care

Astrebla lappacea Domin

Updated · Sources · How we source care data

Astrebla lappacea, commonly known as curly Mitchell grass, is a herb of the family Poaceae from the order Poales. It grows to 0.9 metres (3 ft) tall.

🌾Grains & Cereals🎋Grasses & Bamboo
Water

Every 3–5 days

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Temp

60–85°F

Humidity

40–70%

At a glance

How do you care for Curly Mitchell grass?

Water Curly Mitchell grass every 3–5 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it full sun to partial shade. It prefers temperatures of 60–85°F (16–29°C) and 40–70% humidity. Fertilize it every 8 months during the growing season.

What Is the Curly Mitchell grass?

Curly Mitchell grass (Astrebla lappacea) belongs to the Poaceae family within the Astrebla genus. Curly Mitchell grass is also known as Curly grass, Mitchell grass.

Curly Mitchell grass displays a tall, spreading grass growth habit, reaching up to 5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 3 ft. Curly Mitchell grass produces small inconspicuous flowers on tall spikes.

Leaf size: approximately 12 inches.

How Often Should You Water a Curly Mitchell grass?

Astrebla lappacea requires watering every 3–5 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.

Watering Frequency

Every 3–5 days

Let soil partially dry between waterings

What Light Does the Curly Mitchell grass Need?

Curly Mitchell grass thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Light Requirement

Full sun to partial shade

What Temperature and Humidity Does the Curly Mitchell grass Prefer?

Astrebla lappacea grows best at temperatures of 60–85°F. Curly Mitchell grass prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Temperature

60–85°F

Humidity

40–70%

What Soil Mix Works Best for a Curly Mitchell grass?

Well-draining sandy loam with high organic matter content. Good drainage is essential for Curly Mitchell grass to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

How Often Should You Fertilize a Curly Mitchell grass?

Feed Curly Mitchell grass every 8 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.

Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.

Fertilizing

Every 8 months

During the growing season

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

How Do You Repot a Curly Mitchell grass?

Repot every 1-2 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.

How Do You Propagate a Curly Mitchell grass?

Curly Mitchell grass can be propagated through division, rhizome cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to barbed wire grass plant care, which shares the same genus.

Is the Curly Mitchell grass Toxic to Pets and Children?

Pet safety not verified

The ASPCA does not list Curly Mitchell grass, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.

This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

What Pests and Diseases Affect the Curly Mitchell grass?

Curly Mitchell grass is susceptible to grasshoppers, cutworms, aphids. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Curly Mitchell grass Need?

Curly Mitchell grass grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13a. It survives winters down to planting zone 13a. In cooler regions, grow Curly Mitchell grass as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.

Hardiness Zone

Zone 13a

Keep exploring plants

Curly Mitchell grass is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.

It belongs to the Astrebla genus — compare its care with other Astrebla species on PlantoScan.

Astrebla is part of the Poaceae plant family — browse all Poaceae genera and species.

Curly Mitchell grass thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.

Related Plant Care Guides

Closely related plants with similar care requirements:

Sources

  • Scientific name & taxonomy: Astrebla lappacea Domin, family Poaceae (first published in Biblioth. Bot. 20(85): 372 (1915)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
  • Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Curly Mitchell grass, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
  • Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 13a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
  • Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.

Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.

PlantoScan app icon

Identify Plants Like the
Curly Mitchell grass Instantly

Scan any plant with your phone camera and get instant ID, care tips, water and fertilizer reminders, and health checks — all in one app.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Free

to download

iOS & Android

platforms

Light & dark

mode

100,000+

species