Great Design Plant: Feather Reed Grass
Use this ornamental grass for height, color, texture and motion in your landscape
The transition of seasons is a beautiful thing to experience, especially when you can see it happen right in your own garden. When you add some feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') to your landscape, you'll enjoy the crisp autumn breeze moving through its wispy foliage and the stunning progression of fall colors throughout its long flowering season.
Feather reed grass thrives in many climates, even surviving the harsh winters of Scandinavia and Canada. If you can add one more perennial grass to your planting plan, this one's an easy choice.
Feather reed grass thrives in many climates, even surviving the harsh winters of Scandinavia and Canada. If you can add one more perennial grass to your planting plan, this one's an easy choice.
Distinguishing traits. Commonly described as the grass in perpetual motion, feather reed grass brings together two great architectural qualities: vertical reach and movement. The light feathery foliage ebbs and sways with any amount of wind, enabling any landscape to appear more dynamic and responsive to the forces of nature.
While this grass grows to a height of 2-3’, the subtle pink foliage rosettes that appear in June can reach over 5’. By fall, the color has matured into a beautiful golden wheat hue and should remain so until snow comes, or even after. Keep an eye out now for a glimpse of its perfect tan lustre.
While this grass grows to a height of 2-3’, the subtle pink foliage rosettes that appear in June can reach over 5’. By fall, the color has matured into a beautiful golden wheat hue and should remain so until snow comes, or even after. Keep an eye out now for a glimpse of its perfect tan lustre.
How to use it. With great vertical height, permeable foliage and medium growth rate, the design possibilities for feather reed grass are endless. In a landscape lacking linear or vertical accents, a row planting of these grasses is a great way to add order without creating too harsh or minimalistic landscape. Simultaneously this plant can serve as an effective screen solution if you are looking to block out a neighboring property or unsightly view — all around the perfect backdrop.
Alternatively, a mass planting of these grasses is an obvious design solution for filling open space and creating a naturalistic field of golden ornamental grasses. The narrower habbit of feather reed grass also makes it a perfect space-saving solution in smaller spaces as an accent piece — growing up rather than out. For those of you looking for the ultimate in space-saving design, feather reed grass is also a perfect container plant as well as a key floral arrangement ingredient.
Alternatively, a mass planting of these grasses is an obvious design solution for filling open space and creating a naturalistic field of golden ornamental grasses. The narrower habbit of feather reed grass also makes it a perfect space-saving solution in smaller spaces as an accent piece — growing up rather than out. For those of you looking for the ultimate in space-saving design, feather reed grass is also a perfect container plant as well as a key floral arrangement ingredient.
Before you plant. As with most perennial grasses, feather reed grass is long-lived, tough and pretty maintenance free once in the ground. In order to avoid rust disease, maintain soil drainage and good air circulation around the plant. After flowering, cut the grass back to around 12” in late winter or early spring to clear out old growth. Being a cool-season grass, plant feather reed grass in spring or fall and enjoy its texture, color, and movement for seasons to come.
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Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape
More:
Great Design Plant: Blue Chalk Sticks
Great Design Plant: New Zealand Wind Grass
Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape
Common names: Feather reed grass
USDA zones: 4-9; reported to grow from 3-9
Water requirement: Low; water bi-monthly
Sun requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 36-48” h x 24” spread (60-80” h when flowering)
Tolerances: Drought, deer, soil