Australian native Poa grasses are often chosen for the right reasons. They are tough, adaptable, and well suited to mass planting. Many gardeners still hesitate at the final step because different Poa varieties look similar on a product page.
However, they are not always interchangeable, especially when you compare weaker common forms against well-bred cultivated varieties capable of tolerating the harsh realities of urban landscaping.
Modern cultivated Poas are selected for very specific outcomes, including foliage colour, plant size, visual softness, climatic tolerances, and how they behave once established. This comparison looks at three widely available cultivated native Poas in Australia: Eskdale Blue™ poa, Kingsdale™ poa, and Rustic™ poa, and where each one performs best.
Poa spp. ‘POL12’ PBR Trade Name Eskdale Blue™
Blue-leaved tussock grass forming soft mounded clumps; ideal for mass planting and low-maintenance gardens
- The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.75. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/poa-eskdale-blue
Poa poiformis PP500 Trade Name Kingsdale™
Compact Poa with bright soft flowers and fine foliage; ideal for mass/mixed planting and native gardens
- The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.25. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/kingsdale
Poa spp. ‘POL11’ PBR Trade Name Rustic™
Fine-leaf native grass with rustic-brown seed heads; drought tolerant and well-suited to landscaping
- The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.75. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/poa-rustic
At-a-glance: which one suits your job?
1. Visual dominance in the planting
This is the most important difference.
- Eskdale Blue™ poa
Visually dominant. The blue foliage reads strongly from a distance and forms a clear design layer. Best used where the grass is meant to be seen as a repeating element. - Kingsdale™ poa
Visually light. The arching foliage softens edges and blends into mixed plantings. It supports nearby plants rather than defining the space. - Rustic™ poa
Visually quiet but textural. Less about bold blue tones, more about form and seasonal character as its foliage browns off more rapidly to give the illusion of maturity within the first year.
Choose Eskdale Blue™ Poa as part of the visual structure.
Choose Kingsdale™ Poa as a soft connector.
Choose Rustic™ Poa as a textural accent.
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How “designed” versus “natural” the planting looks
- Eskdale Blue™ poa
Reads as deliberate and designed. Works well in contemporary, coastal, or structured native landscapes. - Kingsdale™ poa
Sits between formal and informal. Looks intentional but relaxed, particularly in mixed garden beds and borders. - Rustic™ poa
Leans toward a naturalistic look. Highly suited to informal native gardens and landscapes where texture matters more than polish. However, it can certainly be used in more formal styles, it just brings a bit more of that wildness with the earlier copper foliage.
This matters if you are blending natives with exotic ornamental plants or trying to achieve a specific garden style.
3. What the planting looks like after flowering
Another practical differentiator.
- Eskdale Blue™ poa
Maintains a strong foliage presence even after flowering. The plant still reads clearly as a blue tussock. - Kingsdale™ poa
Flowering adds softness and height that does not completely block sightlines, great for frontline plantings with taller shrubs behind.. - Rustic™ poa
Foliage quickly browns off within the first year, giving the appearance of several years’ worth of growth.
If you love visible seed heads, Kingsdale™ Poa will give you that Piet Oudolf/new perennial type of appearance. (Please forgive me if I’ve not articulated this very well – I am a horticulturist by trade and not an actual designer)
Summary: choosing the right Poa quickly
- Choose Eskdale Blue™ poa if you want the grass to be a dominating repeated visible design element and you have room to plant it properly. The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.75. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/poa-eskdale-blue
- Choose Kingsdale™ poa if you want a softer grass that blends easily into mixed plantings without taking over. The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.25. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/kingsdale
- Choose Rustic™ poa if you want to age the garden quickly with coppery tones more quickly, as long as you can prune it before each spring to refresh it. The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.75. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/poa-rustic