Hare’s Tail Cottongrass – mountain plants

Hare’s Tail Cottongrass is a common sight on the UK hills, moors and mountains. You can distinguish it from Common Cottongrass because it has just one flower head. This white tuft resembles a hare’s tail, hence the name.

It grows in damp, peaty, boggy areas and is particularly associated with blanket bog. On spotting a sea of the white tufts, we instantly know which areas to avoid if we want to keep our feet dry. There are various other plants that provide the same visual warning, if you know them. This is a handy bit of knowledge to have.

In the past, Hare’s Tail Cottongrass has variously been used to make wound dressings and to stuff pillows.

If you’d like to know more about this and other mountain plants, then get in touch and enquire about our skills courses and our guided walks.