null Skip to main content
Wholesale Starter Plants | Perennials | Ornamental Grasses
Our Availability is Always Fresh!

Blog

Karl has an entourage...

Karl has an entourage...

Posted by John Friel on Sep 15th 2022

Calamagrostis xacutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ is the rock star of feather reed grasses. It’s one of the best, best-known and best-selling ornamental grasses ever.But like all rock stars, Karl has an entourage. Three striking varieties are ready for their own turn in the spotlight. Say hello to..Hello Spring!™Our very own intro, this one was singled out by our breeders. Its foliage features beautiful crisp, clean green and white longitudinal stripes, and its refined habit sets it apart fr
CALAMAGROSTIS: Yipes! Stripes! Beyond ‘Karl Foerster’

CALAMAGROSTIS: Yipes! Stripes! Beyond ‘Karl Foerster’

Posted by John Friel on Dec 9th 2021

It’s practically blasphemy to rank any ornamental grass higher than world-famous Calamagrostis xa. ‘Karl Foerster’. It was the first grass ever named Perennial Plant of the Year, and rightly so. With sturdy vertical foliage and feathery plumes, it’s a handsome workhorse that makes a designer look like a genius. Not surprisingly, it’s among our top sellers. You’ll never hear us dis it.But we WILL say there are other options in the very same species that bring that same legendary reliability – all
CALAMAGROSTIS: Yipes! Stripes! Beyond ‘Karl Foerster’

CALAMAGROSTIS: Yipes! Stripes! Beyond ‘Karl Foerster’

Posted by John Friel on Oct 20th 2021

Don’t get us wrong: We love Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’, the first grass named Perennial Plant of the Year. It’s every bit as versatile as the polymath whose name it proudly bears.‘Karl Foerster’ is one of those plants that makes a gardener or designer look like a genius. But the genus has a lighter side. To be more specific: Yipes! Stripes!Calamagrostis xacutiflora‘Overdam’The original variegated form, ‘Overdam’ looks much like ‘Karl Foerster’, but with creamy white vertical stripes
Ready for Prime Time: The Calamagrostis Variety Show!

Ready for Prime Time: The Calamagrostis Variety Show!

Posted by John Friel on May 7th 2021

Calamagrostis xacutiflora 'Karl Foerster' was the first ornamental grass to be named Perennial Plant of the year. It deserves the spotlight.Calamagrostis xacutiflora 'Karl Foerster'Whether it’s belting out a solo as a specimen, or harmonizing with the chorus in a mass, this “feather reed grass” makes a designer look like a genius. It’s at home on the big stage of a large landscape, or in more intimate settings.But our ensemble features other standouts. We grow seven taxa of this versatile genus.
Familiarity Breeds Respect  (Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’)

Familiarity Breeds Respect (Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’)

Posted by John Friel on Mar 12th 2021

If there’s a garden grass that your average gardener knows by name, it’s ‘Karl Foerster’. This eponymous creation of the legendary plantsman was the first ornamental grass named Perennial Plant of the Year.Naturally, we know (and grow) lots more, but this is the one to know if you know only one. It’s famous worldwide for its beauty, adaptability and ease of culture.Prolific breeder and author Karl Foerster (1874-1970) introduced over 600 plants and wrote two dozen books. His breeding motto was “

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest in plant trends and availability!