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Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' Description
A favorite go-to-grass that blooms long and stands up to harsh winters. Try it as a fast-growing hedge for screening or privacy!
Versatile and easy to grow, 'Karl Foerster' reed grass (Calamagrostis acutiflora) is one of the showiest, longest blooming mid-size hedge plant for the garden. It gives any garden a lift!
A favorite landscape perennial among garden designers, this low maintenance ornamental grass can quickly provide a sense of enclosure to pathways, pools, patio or decks. Even their blooms can help block noise to a degree. Plant them close together to create a solid barrier or boundary to screen out objects or air conditioning units.
'Karl Foerster' begins its spectacular flower show in early summer & remains colorful right thru the hard frosts of fall! Easy to grow, erect Feather Reed grass produces grain-like seed heads in early summer reach ing up to 5' tall. Winner of the Perennial Plant Association Perennial of the Year
How to grow. Feather Reed Grass prefers a sunny site. Tolerates drought and clay sites. It wakes up earlier than other grasses and is highly salt tolerant. Primary maintenance is a yearly trim in late winter/spring cutting back to 8" or so to the ground.
World-reknown garden designer : Piet Outdolf in his book Designing with Plants refers to 'Karl Foerster' as "most upright of the grasses, which bends in the wind, making it almost weatherproof." "spire-shaped flowerheads add lift to the garden, severing its bonds with the earth"..
Feather reed grass provides a structured look providing a welcome contrast in beds and borders to more bold or contrasting type of perennials such as perovskia, sedum, or roses.
About 'Karl Foerster' grass: This hardy ornamental grass was introduced to the nursery trade in 1950 by German nurseryman Karl Foerster via Hamburg Botanical Garden. It came to the United States by way of Denmark in 1964. Wolfgang Oehme and Kurt Bluemel were influential in introducing this superb grass the the US market. This particular variety of feather reed grass is called the "metamorphic grass" or "perpetual motion grass." The slightest breeze sets this grass in motion. It is an excellent specimen providing vertical accent. Stems cut before the flower mature will last for months in an arrangements while maintaining the gold tan color. Perennial Plant of the Year in 2001.
Special features: Cut flower, Deer resistant, Dried flower, Drought tolerant, Easy care, Heat tolerant, Long blooming, Multi-seasonal interest, Season extender, Winter interest
