Elegia capensis
Horsetail restio, Essenhout
Elegia Elegia
E. capensis - E. capensis is an upright, spreading perennial forming large clumps of thick, reed-like, dark green stems with a papery sheath at each node surrounding a whorl of long, needle-like branches. Yellow to golden-brown flower spikelets, initially enclosed by large, leaf-like bracts, bloom in spring, followed by small, winged, nut-like fruit.
Elegia capensis is: Evergreen
Clump-forming, Erect, Spreading
Yellow, Yellow-brown in Spring
Glasshouse red spider mite , Whitefly Glasshouse red spider mite , Whitefly
Once established, remove oldest stems in spring.
Propagation is best done with seed. Germination is poor unless seeds given smoke treatment. Resents division so only divide large plants into sizable sections and plant divisions immediately.
Division, Seed
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Elegia capensis (Horsetail restio) will reach a height of 2m and a spread of 1.5m after 2-5 years.
Architectural, City, Coastal, Containers, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance
Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil in a warm, sheltered, sunny site. Tolerates very light shade. Do not allow to dry out. Yellowing stems indicate the need for a high nitrogen feed.
Loamy, Sandy
Moist but well-drained, Moisture-retentive
Acid, Neutral
Full Sun
South, West
Sheltered
Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3)
We do not currently have companion plants added for this plant.
Elegia capensis
Horsetail restio, Essenhout
Elegia Elegia
E. capensis - E. capensis is an upright, spreading perennial forming large clumps of thick, reed-like, dark green stems with a papery sheath at each node surrounding a whorl of long, needle-like branches. Yellow to golden-brown flower spikelets, initially enclosed by large, leaf-like bracts, bloom in spring, followed by small, winged, nut-like fruit.
South Africa
Evergreen
Clump-forming, Erect, Spreading
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Yellow, Yellow-brown in Spring
Glasshouse red spider mite , Whitefly
Once established, remove oldest stems in spring.
Propagation is best done with seed. Germination is poor unless seeds given smoke treatment. Resents division so only divide large plants into sizable sections and plant divisions immediately.
Division, Seed
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Elegia capensis (Horsetail restio) will reach a height of 2m and a spread of 1.5m after 2-5 years.
Architectural, City, Coastal, Containers, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance
Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil in a warm, sheltered, sunny site. Tolerates very light shade. Do not allow to dry out. Yellowing stems indicate the need for a high nitrogen feed.
Loamy, Sandy
Moist but well-drained, Moisture-retentive
Acid, Neutral
Full Sun
South, West
Sheltered
Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3)
Zone 11, Zone 10, Zone 9, Zone 8
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This plant likes... | Garden match | |
Soil types: | Loamy, Sandy | Tell us... |
Soil drainage: | Moist but well-drained, Moisture-retentive | Tell us... |
Soil pH: | Acid, Neutral | Tell us... |
Light: | Full Sun | Tell us... |
Aspect: | South, West | Tell us... |
Exposure: | Sheltered | Tell us... |
Hardiness: | Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3) | Tell us... |
By west London based garden designer Jonathan Snow. Jonathan’s inspiration for his Trailfinders Garden is the Winelands of the Western Cape of South Africa. read more
Nick Bailey Designs Show Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016 to highlight the Beauty of Mathematical Principles in Nature read more
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