Beginner
skill rating
Online Garden Tools
Useful videos
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster')
1 hour care
per year
per year
1.5m
Max height
Max height
1m
Max spread
Max spread
2-5 years
To maturity
To maturity
Plant details
Botanical name
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Other names
Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster', Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster'
Genus
Calamagrostis Calamagrostis
Variety or Cultivar
'Karl Foerster' _ 'Karl Foerster' is a grass with flat, arching leaves, and bronze panicles that fade to pale-brown.
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' is: Deciduous
Habit
Clump-forming
Flower
Insignificant or absent, Brown in Summer
Foliage
Green in Summer
How to care
Watch out for
General care
Pruning
Cut back old stems to the ground in early spring before growth resumes.
Propagation methods
Division
Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions
Where to grow
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster') will reach a height of 1.5m and a spread of 1m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
City, Cottage/Informal, Beds and borders, Low Maintenance, Architectural, Prairie planting, Foliage only
Cultivation
Plant in any well-drained fertile soil.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
Companion plants
Botanical name
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Other names
Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster', Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster'
Genus
Calamagrostis Calamagrostis
Variety or Cultivar
'Karl Foerster' _ 'Karl Foerster' is a grass with flat, arching leaves, and bronze panicles that fade to pale-brown.
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump-forming
Create your free Shoot garden
Create your free SHOOT garden and make a record of the plants in your garden.
Add your own photos, notes, get monthly email reminders on how to care for your plants, and connect with other gardeners. Get started now.
Colour
Flower
Insignificant or absent, Brown in Summer
Foliage
Green in Summer
General care
Pruning
Cut back old stems to the ground in early spring before growth resumes.
Propagation methods
Division
Monthly care advice
Get access to monthly care advice
Create a free SHOOT account and get instant access to expert care advice for this and other plants in your garden.
You'll also receive handy monthly email reminders of what needs doing. Create your free account.
Where to grow
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster') will reach a height of 1.5m and a spread of 1m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
City, Cottage/Informal, Beds and borders, Low Maintenance, Architectural, Prairie planting, Foliage only
Cultivation
Plant in any well-drained fertile soil.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
USDA zones
Zone 10, Zone 9, Zone 8, Zone 7
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
(06/10/2010)
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
(06/10/2010)
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
(06/10/2010)
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types) | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Moist but well-drained, Well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Partial Shade, Full Sun | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | South, East, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Exposed, Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Hardy (H4) | Tell us... |
COMPANION PLANTS
GARDENS WITH THIS PLANT
ARTICLES WITH THIS PLANT
The garden is inspired by and designed as a conceptual space to highlight to visitors the great work conducted by Over The Wall children's charity and Japanese healthcare company Takeda UK… read more
Established exhibitors Simon Webster and Charlie Bloom return to the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival this summer, with the show garden ‘Sunburst’ read more
The garden inspired by an abandoned space featuring remains for an old wall or out-building, re-purposing these and bringing these back to life. read more
By West Yorkshire based garden designer Tracy Foster MSGD. This small, awkwardly shaped suburban garden overlooked by surrounding houses was redesigned following the construction of a new extension… read more
The RHS Back to Nature Garden, designed by The Duchess of Cambridge and award-winning landscape architects Andree Davies and Adam White of Davies White Landscape Architects, is based in a woodland… read more
Report content or feedback to Shoot
To add ? to your lists,
login to your account or subscribe.
Find out more about plant lists here
or Login
To add notes for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To add images for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To check if this plant is suitable for your garden first login to your account or subscribe.
or Login
DISCUSS THIS PLANT
The centre of one of my 'clumps' has not come up this year, so I just have a ring of shoots. Do I just need to dig it up in winter and divide it to eliminate the hole in the middle?
There are 0 active discussions about Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster')
View all discussions