The 'Karl Foerster' riding grass is a real eye-catcher in your garden. In addition, it can convince with an extremely low maintenance effort.
The riding grass 'Karl Foerster' (Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') is a classic ornamental grass that can be used in a variety of ways in the garden and inspires with its special effect. Also known as sand reed, it stands out due to its dense stalks, on which there are narrow panicles. One of the advantages of riding grass is its low maintenance requirements. For example, you do not have to cut back the ornamental grass in autumn. The infructescence can be preserved for a long time and is a particularly decorative element.
Features of Sand Pipe
The appearance of the 'Karl Foerster' riding grass leaves an original image and is often used for garden design. It reaches a height and width of growth of up to 150 centimeters and takes on a particularly bushy shape. It is therefore ideal for designing open spaces.
Reed grass owes its popularity in particular to its natural composition. The flowers grow in panicles and are tawny in color, making them a great fit for the natural environment. Under ideal conditions, the spike, with its yellow-brown colour, stretches the entire length of the plant. If required, the panicles can be dried with the stems, so that the 'Karl Foerster' riding grass can also be used in decorative arrangements.
The flowers appear around July and can then be admired until August. Although they themselves are not even five centimeters in size, their special arrangement makes them immediately noticeable.
| Riding grass 'Karl Foerster'(Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | bushy, taut upright flower stalks, clumpy |
| Growth: | 100 - 150 cm |
| Growth: | 80 - 150 cm |
| Flowering: | July to August |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | slightly dry to fresh, well-drained, loamy-sandy,nutritious |
Location Requirements
In order for the 'Karl Foerster' reed grass to develop well, it needs permeable and fresh soil. Clay and sand are ideal. If these requirements are met, the sand pipe does not need intensive care and usually develops very well without much effort. It can easily be planted at the selected location in the ball that has already been cultivated. It can also spend the winter here without any problems, although it should not be cut back before winter.
Tip: The plant should then be cut back in spring at the latest so that it sprout vigorously again. The riding grass 'Karl Foerster' then develops he althy growth of up to 150 centimetres.
When combined with other plants, the 'Karl Foerster' reed grass proves to be very frugal and comes into its own in combination with colorful flowers as well as with other perennials.
Plant Reed Grass 'Karl Foerster'
The sand reed has a flat root and can therefore also be combined very well with deep-rooted plants. When planting, ensure that per square meter no more than two specimens of the reed grass are planted.
The ideal planting distance is around 90 cm.
The 'Karl Foerster' riding grass is of course particularly beautiful in combination with other ornamental grasses, whereby it is particularly worthwhile to combine different heights with each other. This creates an attractive play of colors in the garden. The riding grass 'Karl Foerster' enriches the garden in winter with a beautiful play of colors. In this way it retains its mix of green, yellow and brown. When cut off, it can also be used in a vase during the cold winter months.
The sand reed can be wonderfully combined with low perennials that flower in many different ways. But it is also suitable for path design, where it is particularly effective on wooden and stone paths.
Use of Reed Grass
Due to its natural charm, the riding grass can be used in many ways. In addition to path design, it can also be used on terraces and seating areas and creates a protected area here thanks to its generous dimensions. As a native ornamental grass, the plant has excellent winter hardiness. It can not only be used in beds and borders, but is also ideal for planting and designing pots. Here it comes - through the individual position -especially good effect.