This grandiloquent , willowy ornamental grass has feathery flowering stalks , adding erect sake to any garden .
While otherornamental grassestend to arch outwards , feather reed grass forms dense , upright clumps of narrow green leaves that send up stiff flowering stalks in the summer . In tumble , the minute blossoms open up slightly to become feathery plumes of germ heads that wave piano in the cinch . The plants will often take hold onto the plumage , which summate wonderful wintertime interest to a garden . The seed foreland also look great in cut - flower organisation .
Feather reed smoke take place as a natural hybrid between two grass , CalamagrostisepigejosandCalamagrostis arundinacea . It was precede as an ornamental grass in 1950 by gardener Karl Foerster , after whom the most pop feather reed forage cultivar is named .
Bryan E. McCay.
Where to Plant Feather Reed Grass
With its tall , narrow stalks , feather reed grass wait best amongother perennialsand cosmetic grasses . The idealistic location for feather reed dope is a spot that receives sunshine in the morning and light refinement during the red-hot afternoon hours . The industrial plant does not have any specific requirements in condition of soil tone or texture . It originate in moderately acidic to alkaline grime .
This improbable ornamental grass adds a sensational perpendicular architectural element to any landscape painting , even in winter . Industrial areas like street median and parking rafts often feature this plant because it ’s easy to grow and does n’t demand much maintenance to retain its sculpted appearance .
How and When to Plant Feather Reed Grass
you could imbed plume reed pot in the springiness or capitulation . dig up a pickle twice the width of the root orb with a deepness a little less than the root chunk ’s elevation . Place the grass in the hole and backfill it with grunge . Water well and keep it moist until the grass is established .
Space industrial plant 2 to 3 feet apart .
Feather Reed Grass Care Tips
Feather reed grass is an loose - care ornamental grass that wow every month of the year .
Light
Feather reed pasturage can grow infull sunbut does best with some good afternoon shade , especially in a ardent climate . In too much shade , however , it becomes floppy .
Soil and Water
Plant this grass inwell - drainedsoil that is productive , racy , and systematically moist . Unlike many other decorative grasses , it does well in heavy clay soils . Thesoil pHshould be between 6.0 and 8.0 .
Feather reed Mary Jane is one of the few ornamental grasses that put up moist to almost wet grunge . This make the plant a peachy option forrain gardensor boggy areas . Once establish , feather reed grass tolerates occasional droughts .
Temperature and Humidity
Feather reed Gunter Wilhelm Grass is a cool - time of year grass that survives subzero winters down toZone 4but does not do well in red-hot climates . The flora allow humidness if there is sufficient air circulation around the plant .
Fertilizer
more often than not , feather reed locoweed does not call for much fertilizer . However , if it ’s plant in poor , sterile soil , the sens do good from a springtime app of a complete , dull - releasegranular fertilizer . For the amount to expend , follow the product label instructions .
Pruning
Because of its sturdy upright growth , feather reed grass adds a dramatic accent mark to wintertime landscapes , specially when its plumes are will entire . Wait until previous winter or early spring to rationalise it back 2 to 3 inches above the crown to make room for unexampled growing .
Potting and Repotting Feather Reed Grass
Feather reed grass make a good container plant life if you keep it in a emplacement where it is protect from strong wind and can not get knocked over . Plant the forage in a container with declamatory drainage yap , filling it with pot mixing andcompost . Keep in mind that pot plants , unlike plants in the landscape , take frequent watering and fertilizer .
Repot the pasture in a larger container with overbold potting mix and compost when the ball has filled the container .
Pests and Problems
Feather reed grass is not rag by any serious diseases or pest .
In wet conditions , it might be affected by rust , industrial plant diseases stimulate by kingdom Fungi that usually disappear when the wet menstruum ends . Feather reed grass is relativelydeer - resistant .
How to Propagate Feather Reed Grass
Like other decorative pasture , feather reed grass is commonlypropagated by sectionalization . separate this skunk in early spring just as new growing emerges . If you have n’t done so , shear off last year ’s growth . Using a spade , slice into the soil about an in aside from the clump and make a slice straight down through the clod to cut off a manageable section . airlift it out of the land with all its root and replant it in a fresh location at the same depth as the original plant .
Types of Feather Reed Grass
‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass
KatyLR / Getty Images
Calamagrostisxacutiflora’Karl Foerster ' is the most popular form of feather reed grass . Initially rose - colour , later brownish feathery flower spikes rise above clumps of gullible foliage 18 to 24 in tall . The seeds are sterile . Zones 4 - 9
‘Overdam’ Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostisxacutiflora’Overdam ' is a cultivar whose leaf has variegated yellow margins and red - brownish , feathery summer plumes that turn golden in the fall . The stalks can strain a height of 6 foot . geographical zone 4 - 9
‘Avalanche’ Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostisxacutiflora’Avalanche ' is another variety with variegated leaf . The foliation has white centers and unripened margins . The stalks plough gold in the surrender and the colorful plumes last into the wintertime . It grows 3 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 foot full . zone 4 - 9
Feather Reed Grass Companion Plants
Coneflower
Coneflowerblooms from summer to fall and looks lovely in many garden configurations . Echinacea purpurea , the imperial coneflower , is the most unremarkably found coinage . Its bragging blooms boast a dark-brown - orange tree central cone and a ring of long , slender , pink - purple flower petal . The Dominicus - loving perennial thrives in Zones 3 - 9 .
Coreopsis
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
There are many case ofcoreopsisin both perennial and one-year forms . The ruffianly plant life sport blooms of many colors include yellow , pink , red , and orangish . Coreopsis is a low - maintenance works that should be grown in an area that receives draw of sun — repeated varieties are hardy in Zones 3 - 9 .
Blazing Star
Blazing star(Liatris ) is an fascinating prairie plant that attracts butterflies and other pollinator but is comparatively cervid - insubordinate . The perennial spud wand of purplish - pink blooming , and its sess - similar foliage add interesting texture to the garden . Zones 3 - 9 .
Garden Plan for Feather Reed Grass
Low-Water Garden Plan
Thislow - water garden plancombines water - wise plant that expand in dry , gay conditions . Crested iris , sweetened alyssum , lamb ’s ear , feather reed grass , and Japanese barberry are a few of the easy - precaution , drought - tolerant plants in the landscape blueprint .
Frequently Asked Questions
Feather reed Gunter Grass is a loan-blend between an Asiatic and a European Mary Jane species . It does not produce viable seeds , which mean the plants ca n’t spread by come and become trespassing .
In the summer , tall spires of narrow blossoms appear in shades of tan , green , lily-white , and sometimes pink , depending on the diverseness .
update by Nadia Hassani
Credit:KatyLR/Getty Images
The Flowers, or Inflorescence, of Feather Reed Grass ‘Overdam’.Credit: Photo: Georgianna Lane / Getty Images
Credit:The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
