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Calamagrostis Karl Forster - grass

Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
in Plants
Has anyone grown this grass, have any pictures they can share or can tell me if it is evergreen and does it DO anything?  At the moment my plant is new, and in a pot but with no actual redeeming features.  Why did I buy it? Probably to fill in a gap but now I am not sure if it deserves a place in the flower bed if it doesn't stay evergreen all through the winter or flower. 
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  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 11,443
    edited September 2019
    I have grown it in the past (don't have a photo to hand unfortunately).
    It's not evergreen,  but it starts growing again quickly after being cut back. 
    I liked the pinky colour of the panicles (which turned a sort of straw colour through the winter), and it kept upright through some pretty rough weather, right through until l cut it down around the end of March.  I only took it out after a few years as  it was taking up too much room. If memory serves me right,  it did take a year to get established,  but after that it was away !
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,992
    This one doesn’t grow from seed I don’t think, but I grew similar, fills a gap and looks lovely through the year, about 4/5ft tall, I cut it back to the ground in late winter. 
    I haven’t got a photo only a video. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 13,741


    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Is this both the same Karl Forster grass @punkdoc - assuming spring and summer or perhaps summer and Autumn?  At the moment my potted KF hasn't got any flower - just the plain grass blades - perhaps because it is new (I bought it as a plug earlier this year and the actual plant has now filled the 5" pot nicely).
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,245
    It might take a while to produce impressive flowerheads from a plug plant.... you'll probably have them next year and then a more impressive display the year after that when it has really bulked up. I think you need more than one probably. They look good dotted through other planting.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 13,741
    Summer and autumn.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,992
    Mine were the same as Punkdocs, the seeds spread too much so I dug them out but they looked good for the first year. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • LynLyn Posts: 21,992
    You may catch a glimpse of them on this clip, always a bit breezy here. I may sow some more, they flower in the 2nd year.
    https://youtu.be/F6f7NISjyYM
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    What an impressive border @Lyn and yes I did spot a few of them - good for fillers but be aware they spread seems to be the message - thank you @punkdoc & @WillDB I think I have the lowdown now.  Next year it will flower, the year after even better and then look out for spreading - back to the drawing board.
  • Joyce21Joyce21 Posts: 15,489
    Gorgeous border @Lyn with so much variety.
    SW Scotland
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