Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'KARL FOERSTER' feather reed grass
size/type
mid-sized perennial,mid-sized perennial
usual height
1,3-1,5m
usual width
0,4-0,5m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
showy
colour of flowers
blooming time
June-September
location
full sun
soil type
any (acidic to alkaline)
soil moisture requirements
evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest)
5 (down to -29°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Reed grass is a very handsome and easy-to-grow grass that can be found in many places of temperate climate of Europe, Asia and America. Its Latin name comes from Greek where kalamos means reed and agrostis grass. It is closely related to sugar cane which also belongs to the same family but is a different species (saccharum officinarum).
Description of the plant:
Feather reed grass is a European hybrid, a cross between c. arundinacea and c. epigejos, and Karl Foerster is possibly its most popular variety. Already from June it makes about 1.5 m tall, thin stems topped with slender but thick spikes of pinkish flowers which soon turn to bright beige and glow like a beacon from midsummer until autumn. The flowering stems make a beautiful cut flower but look best left alone as the dry inflorescences decorate the garden from June until spring. Leaves are deciduous, narrow, medium green and partly glossy. The plant is strictly upright and compact.It was discovered in Hamburg Botanic Garden by German horticulturist Karl Foerster (1874-1970) in 1930 and introduced to commerce in 1950. Apart from its beauty, it is renowned for its non-invasive performance as it does not make runners. Only seldom and under optimal soil conditions some seeds may prove vital enough to produce a few unwanted plants around in small quantity, yet they cannot damage plant’s good reputation.
Reed grass comes from wet and sunny locations and will thrive under these conditions in humus rich soil of any pH in your garden, too. In early spring cut it back to some 5-10 cm above soil level and make sure not to damage newly emerging stems. Hardy to about -29 °C (USDA zone 4).
Last update 30-08-2024
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
