Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'

SKU: S30014
1 for $18.95
Quick Facts
Common Name: Karl Foerster's Feather Reed Grass
Hardiness Zone: 4-9S/W Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
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Blooms In: Jun-Sep
Mature Height: 5-6' Spacing: 18-24"
Read our Growing Guide Ships as: ONE QUART POT
Deer Resistance: Yes
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Shipping Details Shipment begins in early March 2024, depending on your zone. See shipping tab for details
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Product Details

Product Details

As an exclamation point in a border, Feather Reed Grass is one of our favorites because of its upright habit and good manners. Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' forms neat clumps of foliage 18–24" tall. In June, the toasty brown, feathery flower spikes rise to 5' or more. By August they are narrow shafts of a buff color. Despite their delicate and graceful appearance they hold their shape through the winter.

For information on the growing and care of Ornamental Grasses, click Growing Guide.

How to see a 3D model of this item

1. Click on the 3D Model image in the image gallery.

2. A pop up will open with the 3D model of the item. You can move the 3D model around with your mouse if on a computer or with your finger on your device. The 3D model represents a mature plant that is approximately 3 years old.

How to use (AR) Augmented Reality to see this item in your garden

1. Make sure your device has a camera and is connected to the internet. If you want to see the item in your garden and are on your computer, click the 3D Model image on your computer and a QR code will open that will allow you to open the link on your device.

2. Once you have clicked the 3D Model image on your device, go outside and face your device camera toward where you would like to see how the item will look in your garden.

3. To see the item in your own garden, click on the [AR] link in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. You might need to wait a few seconds for the AR experience to load. This only works from a device with a camera such as a mobile phone or a tablet.

4. Allow your device to access the camera, if prompted.

5. Point your device's camera at the area where you want to place the plant or garden.

6. The website will use Augmented Reality to place a virtual image of the item in the space you are looking at through your device’s camera. You can adjust the position of the virtual item by using two fingers to resize the item, or one finger to move the item around the screen, until you're satisfied with how it looks. To get an accurate sense of the size of this item, we recommend measuring out the area where you would like to plant it (the spacing for this item is 18-24"), and staking or flagging the borders so that you will have an accurate idea for the mature size of the item while using AR (the magnifier only enlarges the 3D model of the item, it does not change the actual size of the item). The 3D model represents a mature plant that is approximately 3 years old.

7. Move your device around to view the item from different angles and get a better idea of how it will look in your garden.

8. Once you have everything lined up, take a screenshot or tap the screen to show the AR experience controls and press the white circle to take a photo of the AR image to save it for future reference.

9. If you decide to purchase the item, you can use the AR image as a reference for placement in your garden.

Shipping

Shipping
Every state has agricultural regulations that restrict the shipment of certain plants. We're sorry, but we cannot ship this item to the following states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington.

HOW PLANTS ARE SHIPPED

The size of the plants we ship has been selected to reduce the shock of transplanting. For some, this means a large, bareroot crown. Others cannot travel bareroot or transplant best if grown in containers. We ship these perennials and annuals in 1 pint pots, except as noted. We must point out that many perennials will not bloom the first year after planting, but will the following year, amply rewarding your patience. We ship bulbs as dormant, bare bulbs, sometimes with some wood shavings or moss. Shrubs, Roses, vines, and other woody plants may be shipped bareroot or in pots. The size of the pot is noted in the quick facts for each item.

WHEN WE SHIP

We ship our bulbs and plants at the right time for planting in your area, except as noted, with orders dispatched on a first-come, first-served basis by climate zone. We also ship a wide range of containers and planters, tools, supplies, fertilizers, garden wear, garden decor items, as well as indoor decorations like wreaths and dried bouquets when available. Estimated dates for shipping are indicated in the green Shipping Details box for each item. Please supply a street address for delivery. Kindly contact us with two weeks notice, if you'll be away at the expected time of delivery.

OUR GUARANTEE

We guarantee to ship plants that are in prime condition for growing. If your order is damaged or fails to meet your expectations, we will cheerfully replace or refund it. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-503-9624 or email us at [email protected]. Please include your order number or customer number when contacting us.

Reviews

Reviews

Average Customer Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (2 Reviews) Write a Review

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Years 1 & 2, great! Year 3 - Yikes!

I planted four of these two years ago, adding four more the next year (because I liked them so much), placing them in an arc to frame the back end of my oval-shaped garden. What a beautiful plant! I loved to see the plumes move from shades of purple through the summer to amber at summer's end, and then to watch the plumes catch the snow and make a perch for birds during the winter.

This year in central MA, it's been extremely rainy and fairly cool, so I was surprised when by mid-July, the shoots almost entirely skipped the purple phrase and went straight to looking brown and dried-out. By early August, they resembled dried straw (although the grass at the base is a healthy green) and many stems are bent and falling over the the neighboring flowers. What an unsightly mess they look!

All the surrounding plants are thriving. I did give these grasses a shot twice during the season with carefully measured Miracle Gro - the kind you apply with a hose - and judging by how the other plant who had the same "snack" are flourishing, it's hard to believe that was the problem. Could it be because at times the grasses were temporarily flattened by hard rain? I would think not, as we must have had at least some hard rains the previous years when they looked good.

So right now, I'm not a fan of this grass. I had planned to divide the plants next spring, but do not look forward to all that work, if this is how they will look.
Response from White Flower Farm — 6 months ago (08/29/23 09:28AM)

When established in fertile soils, it won’t need regular fertilization. You can add organic mulch on top of the root zone to slowly release nutrients and that’s going to be sufficient. Too much fertilizer can lead the grass to flop which is something that we want to avoid. If you prefer to fertilize, we recommend fertilizing ornamental grass with a balanced (10, 10, 10), slow-release fertilizer. Additionally, extremely hard rain can also cause the grass to flop, but it should bounce back. . Please note that we fully guarantee all of products for one full year. Please reach out to our customer support team if this issue has not been resolved to your satisfaction.

2 of 4 people found this review helpful. Do you? yes no  Certified buyer


Three seasons of interest

This grass grows great in my half-shady yard. The fall color is a gorgeous wheat, and in bloom the clump sends up 4-5 feet tall blue-green spikes that wave and nod in the breeze. I planted 6 of them, and only one died; the others filled in the blank nicely within a year. I have planted echinacea "Merlot" in front of it this year and can't wait to see how the purple stems look with it.

135 of 135 people found this review helpful. Do you? yes no

Growing guide

Growing guide
Print Grow Guide

Most varieties of ornamental grasses grow well in full sun and average garden soil. Keep their foliage for winter effect, cutting back all except the evergreen varieties (Festuca) before new growth emerges in the spring. Refresh Festucas by "raking" out the dried and dead leaves with gloved fingers.

Some species thrive in part shade, or even full shade, expanding the possibilities for Grasses in the garden. Hakonechloa is suitable in part shade, Sesleria in full sun to part shade, and Carex (Sedge) can thrive in full sun to full shade locations, depending on the variety. All need soil that stays evenly moist, although Sesleria can tolerate drier soils, and even drought.

Transplant and divide in spring. Grasses that spread by rhizomes ("run" ) can be invasive and should be divided every year or so. Grasses that grow in clumps die out in the center and need dividing every few years. 

Fertilize ornamental grasses in spring with a balanced fertilizer.  We don't recommend, however, fertilizing them their first spring to allow the roots enough time to settle in before having to support their very lush top growth. 

Ornamental Grasses appear to be quite deer-resistant. Evidently the sharp-edged leaves are unpalatable.

Grasses are at home in mixed borders of perennials, bulbs, and shrubs. Consider summer and fall-blooming perennials as companions: Achillea, Rudbeckia, Helenium, Asters, Monarda, Perovskia, Phlox, and Oriental Lilies. The large Miscanthus varieties work well in the back of a border, or even as single specimens. Because most grasses are sited in the middle or back of a border and are cut back in early spring, we like to plant spring-flowering bulbs around them for color early in the year. Daffodils, Tulips, and Alliums bloom while the Grasses provide little to look at. Then the Grasses and foreground perennials sprout and camouflage the bulbs' maturing foliage.

SHOP ALL ORNAMENTAL GRASSES

Videos

Videos
Growing Ornamental Grasses
White Flower Farm Augmented Reality Garden Visualization Tutorial