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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

About the Rock Star AwardOur Rock Star award honors ECG employees who demonstrate a sustained high level of performance and inspire others. Juan Dominguez is this month's award recipient. Juan was praised by his peers for his ability to tackle tough jobs and work well under pressure. “Juan is a key essential part of the grass production team. He can follow instructions, lead groups, stick, cut, drive equipment, gather stock, and the list goes on. Juan brings a sense of relief to everyone wh

What gives a grower the blues? Small plants and disappointed customers.Forget what the song says. There IS a cure: Plant this fall instead of waiting until spring. It’s not just for trees!It’s a simple equation: Build a firm foundation under that crown. When your plants go into winter with a bulked-up root mass, they’ll do three things quicker in spring: Fill out, look gorgeous – and sell. The principle applies to many genera, but we particularly recommend it for these four grass families; 

Andropogon gerardii, the North American native grass known as “big bluestem” is about as tough a plant as you can grow. But there’s a lot more to its story.For centuries, this genus dominated the tallgrass prairie. It’s been largely replaced there by other grasses like Zeamays and Triticumaestivum, a.k.a. corn and wheat.Andropogon has found new homes. A go-to plant for reclaiming damaged soils, it helps keep out exotic invasives. But thanks to modern breeding and selection, it’s increasingly wel

The genus known as “Fountain grass” is large and multifaceted. We grow over two dozen varieties, covering a wide spectrum of looks, hues and uses.Our Pennisetum offerings range from sturdy little cuties less than a foot tall, up to soaring six-footers. Most are hardy, but some of our most popular cultivars are annuals. With so much variety, you’d think we had all the bases covered. But the plant breeders of the world always have something unexpected up their sleeves.Brent Horvath with ‘Yell