Calamagrostis x acutiflora | Karl Foerster
You see Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster in every English garden magazine and we just love it!
Commonly known as feather reed grass it is one of the most popular of the feather reed grasses. It is not overly fussy and seems to do well in our clay soil. It does, however, prefer soils that do not dry out and whilst it is perfect for the garden border, it is also a perfect choice for beside a stream or pond, and we apply a layer of mulch to ensure that moisture is kept in. It is fast-growing.
So many well-known international garden designers such as Piet Oudolf and Paul Bangay to name a few describe it as a stand-out plant that makes a huge statement when planted en masse...it is the first to flower and the last to finish.
Karl Foerster is widely used in landscape plantings in both Europe and the USA. This striking plant creates a cloud of hazy mauve plumes on 1.8m tall stems which are produced during early summer and slowly age to a biscuity beige and then to golden tan colour as it autumn moves into winter. As the flower plumes mature, they become quite narrow in their shape. Although the foliage clumps are semi-evergreen we actually cut them to the ground in mid-winter to tidy them up. The foliage reaches approximately 90cm x 90cm, with the flower's stems standing proud of the clump at around 1.5m.
This attractive green grass will bloom in light shade and actually appreciates some shade particularly if you have a hot summer climate, but the more shade it gets the floppier it may become. The flower plumes that appear in summer have a pinky purple tinge to them on narrow upright stems that stand proud above the foliage. and change to a tan colour giving the autumn garden a very attractive look.
Excellent as a backdrop plant and planted in amongst colourful perennials and other ornamental grasses. Flower plumes look great in a vase!
Cut clumps to the ground in late winter just before you see the new green spring shoots appearing. Can be divided in spring or autumn.
Height of foliage reaches 70 -80cm x 90cm with flower plumes rising up to 1.5 metres
Perennial | Hardy | Maybe semi evergreen in cooler climates
Pot size: 1 Litre
- Auckland City | $12 minimum
- Middle North Island | $15 minimum
- Rest of North Island | $16 minimum
- South Island | $25 minimum
Upon checking out, the freight charged is applied based on weight and your location, including rural destinations.
- All of our orders are dispatched using NZ Post which is a fully tracked service
- Our freight price is calculated by weight and volume based on pricing provided by NZ Post. For plant orders, you may wish to order the maximum number of plants that will fit in a box to make freight more cost-effective or perhaps share an order with a friend (e.g. In most cases up to 4 standard 1 Litre sized plants can fit in one of our smaller boxes and is the most cost-effective at the lowest shipping rate. However, areas such as Auckland or the Middle North Island may allow up to 12 standard 1 Litre sized plants before the next level shipping rate applied.)
- Plant orders will only be dispatched on Monday's and Tuesday's this will ensure that your order is not held in a depot over the weekend
- All parcels are set at "Authority to leave" which means if you're not home at the time of delivery the courier will leave your parcel in a safe place on your property
- Most NZ Post deliveries are a two-day service with the exception of rural and South Island delivery which may add up to two days.
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