Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
feather reed grass
Family Name:
Poaceae
Botanical Name:
Calamagrostis x acutiflora
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
'Karl Foerster'
Characteristics:
Calamagrostis x acutiflora is a columnar, medium-sized perennial ornamental grass. Its foliae is 1 to 2 feet tall, with leaves 1 to 3 feet long when mature and 0.5 inches wide (1). It has multiple flower stalks that frow to 5 feet tall and are covered in pink-purple flower heads (2). As the seed heads mature, the stalks change to maroon, then bronze, and finally to a golden tan color (3).
Compound:
Cal x acu Kar
Geographic Origin:
Europe
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
Calamagrostis x acutiflora is a hybrid of Calamagrostis epigejos and Calamagrostis arundinacea. C. epigejos is native to Europe, Asia and Africa, and C. arundinacea is native to Eurasia, China and India (3). This cross-pollination occurred in the Hamburg Botanical Garden and was discovered in 1930 by German Nurseryman Karl Foerster. The plant was made available as an ornamental in 1950 (3,4,5).
Cultivation Notes:
Calamagrostis x acutiflora is an easy to care for perennial grass that prefers medium to high amounts of water and full sun (2,3,4). This hybrid species is sterile and cannot be propagated by seed. This prevents it from becoming an invasive species. It is instead commonly propagated through clump division (2,3).
Ethnobotany:
This plant provides value to humans in arid and semi-arid urban desert landscapes.
Height:
0 - 5 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
Green
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
