Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally to keep evergreen. It is cold hardy to 10-15°F and useful in USDA Zone 8 and above. It tolerates dry summer conditions but though fire tolerant, its dry leaves are prone to burn so irrigation in summer to keep it green is advisable in fire prone areas. It has tolerance to wind and salty conditions so good in coastal gardens. While it has been noted as non-invasive in grass collections in English gardens, it has sparingly naturalized in Napa and Sonoma counties in California. This is a very pretty grass with its tall flower stems that move even in gentle breezes. Careful placement away from paths in the garden is important as the leave edges are sharp and can cut one's skin.

Native to drier regions of the Mediterranean coast in southern Europe from Spain to Greece and Northern Africa where its leaves and culms have long been used for mats, vine ties, brooms, baskets, and thatching. The genus name comes from the Greek words 'ampelos' meaning a "vine" and 'desmos' meaning "bond" or "to bind" in reference to this plant's leaves being used to make string to tie up grapevines. The specific epithet is a reference to this plant growing in Mauritania in northwest Africa. The Jepson Manual notes the current name of this taxon to be Stipa mauritanica (Poir.) Columbus & J.P.Sm. based on molecular phylogenetic studies and the circumscription of Stipa that was expanded to include all Stipeae (native and non-native) growing in California. This from an article authored by J. Travis Columbus and James P. Smith Jr. titled "Nomenclatural Changes for Some Grasses in California and the Muhlenbergia Clade (Poaceae)" in the 2010 issue of Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany (V.28 N.1 pg65-67). The Royal Botanic Garden Kew Database however continues to use Ampelodesmos mauritanicus as the current name for this plant. It also in the past has been included in the genus Arundo. It has the common names Stramma, Mauritania or Mauritanian Grass, Rope Grass, and Diss Grass. 

Information displayed on this page about Ampelodesmos mauritanicus is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.