One of the few ornamental grasses that will grow well in shade–it naturally occurs in dry or moist woodland areas in the East and Midwest. The loose upright tufts of 12 inch medium green leaves give rise to 2-3 foot stems with bristly flower heads that resemble bottle brushes–the word hystrix is Greek for hedgehog (porcupine) referring to the resemblance of the seed heads to the quills of a hedgehog. The flower heads persist well into autumn and are good for cutting. HP, zone 4, pkt. $2.