Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Family Poaceae
Feather Reed Grass 'Karl Foerster' is the exclamation point of modern planting design — five to six feet of perfectly vertical, wheat-gold wands that bloom in June while other grasses are still thinking about it, then sway in every breath of wind and stand straight through snow.
It is also the rare great grass for clay, sterile and well-behaved, never seeding where it isn't wanted. Massed in threes it gives a border rhythm the way a metronome gives music time. One trio by the mailbox will convert you.
Full Sun
Moderate water
Fast growth
From the print shop
Growing feather reed grass? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries feather reed grass — Calamagrostis acutiflora, print Nº 260, “Feather Reed Grass.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what feather reed grass actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-9Feather Reed Grass · Common problems
Common feather reed grass problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- None
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Rust in wet years (cosmetic)
Feather Reed Grass · Growing & propagation
Growing feather reed grass
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Moderate
One of few great grasses for CLAY
Soil- Any including heavy clay · pH 5.5 - 7.5
Fertilizer- None
Pruning- Cut to 5 in in late winter
The single spring haircut. Sterile = zero volunteers ever.
Spacing- 2 ft
How to plant & propagate feather reed grass
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Feather Reed Grass · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Feather Reed Grass · Yearly calendar
The feather reed grass year, month by month
Jan
BloomJune, then December to February
BloomPruneBloomJune, then December to February
PruneFebruary to March
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Feather Reed Grass · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Feather Reed Grass in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer grass
Attracts- Birds
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What feather reed grass is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Use- Vertical rhythm
- Use
- Clay sites
- Use
- Mass design
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Feather Reed Grass · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a feather reed grass variety
'Karl Foerster' (Perennial Plant of the Year, the vertical standard); 'Overdam' (variegated)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
- Plant family
- Poaceae
- Growth habit
- Grass · Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- CAAC19
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Feather Reed Grass questions, answered straight.
Is feather reed grass safe for kids and pets?
Feather Reed Grass is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate feather reed grass?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where feather reed grass sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily