The background image on my site is of kangaroo grass, Themeda triandra. It has beautiful colour in the stems and seed heads (florets), both when it is young and green and when it drys out.
Widespread over all of Australia, and also found in South Africa and New Guinea, it grows in many different soil types. It was once much more common, but although tough and drought resistant it does not cope with continuous grazing so is often absent in farm paddocks – the introduction of sheep and cattle significantly affected its occurrence.
However its fibrous roots are great at binding soil and preventing soil erosion, so it is a valuable plant to have. I have used it in my garden on slopes and wherever I feel its movement in the wind will catch my eye, swaying purple and brown streaked stems and weeping coloured seed heads.
