Calamagrostis brachytricha
Diamond grass
Common names: Autumn reed grass, Fall reed grass
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Pot size
- from 20 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Aug–Oct
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −25 °C
- Water need
- Medium
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This description was machine-translated.
Description
Diamond grass, botanically Calamagrostis brachytricha, originates from woodlands, woodland edges and mountain meadows in East Asia. It forms dense, non-spreading tufts of dark green, arching leaves. Only in late summer and autumn, when many perennials have finished flowering, do the delicate, silvery pink tinged flower panicles appear above on stems 100 to 120 cm tall. Later they turn beige and remain standing into deep winter. Against backlight and in hoarfrost they glitter like diamonds. Unlike many ornamental grasses, diamond grass flowers reliably even in partial shade. It can be planted in front of shrubs, in a perennial bed with asters and autumn anemones, or in a large container. Because it takes its moment late in the year, it provides structure when the garden otherwise becomes quieter.
Care instructions
Plant diamond grass in spring or September in a sunny to partially shaded spot with humus-rich, fresh soil. In the first year, water regularly; later, water thoroughly during prolonged dry spells, as it copes less well with permanently bone-dry soil in full sun. In spring, add mature compost. Cut the stems back in February or March to about a hand's width above the ground, before new shoots emerge. Until then, the panicles are an ornamental feature in winter. Consider size when choosing the site: the tufts need about 60 cm spacing from neighbouring plants. Typical mistakes are a site that is too dry and hot, and cutting back too early in autumn.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMar–May
FloweringAug–Oct
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 8 °C, ideally 15 °C
- Days to sprout
- 14 to 35 days
- Light
- Needs light to sprout
- Sowing depth
- Press in, don't cover
- How to start
- Sow straight into the bed
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, loamy, nutrient-rich, moist
Korean feather reed grass thrives best on fresh, humus-rich, nutrient-rich soil, for example loamy garden soil with compost. It prefers even moisture, but once established it also copes with dry spells, especially in partial shade. Winter waterlogging and very lean, dry sand, on the other hand, are unfavourable. The pH may range from slightly acidic to neutral; slightly limy soil is fine too.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Apr–Jul
In spring, when new growth begins, spread a layer of mature compost around the clump, mixed with horn shavings if needed. The grass needs no more than that in the bed. In a container, give a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants about every four weeks from May to July. Too much fertiliser makes the stems soft, so that they flop over in autumn.
Overwintering
Korean feather reed grass is fully hardy. Leave the stems and plumes standing over winter: they decorate the bed in hoar frost and protect the base of the plant from wet. In a container, stand the pot on feet against a sheltered house wall, wrap it in horticultural fleece or hessian and water sparingly on frost-free days.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
- From seed
The easiest way to propagate Korean feather reed grass is by division in spring, as soon as new growth begins. Lift the clump, split it with a spade into strong pieces and replant them straight away. Keep them evenly moist for the first few weeks. Sowing is also possible: from March to May, scatter the seeds on seed compost, cover them with only the thinnest layer and keep them evenly moist at room temperature. Plant the young plants outside after the Ice Saints. In moist, humus-rich spots the grass may also self-seed.
For your garden
Grow Diamond grass yourself
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