Grasses & Groundcovers · Ornamental Grasses
Karl Foerster's Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Karl Foerster's Feather Reed Grass is a visually stunning ornamental grass that is a soft green. It has feathery stalks that emerge a reddish-brown in spring and turn a beautiful golden yellow in fall. These feathery stalks bloom weeks earlier than most Feather Reed Grasses and continue to bloom until fall. Prefers sunny areas in rich moist soils. Type: Orn. Grass Height: 1’ - 2’ (6’ with stalks) Spread: 1’ - 2’ Spacing: 1’ USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9 Culture: Full Sun Bloom Color: Red Season of Interest: Spring , Summer , Fall MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance plant, prefers wet soil, but can tolerate dryer conditions. LANDSCAPE USES: Mass Plantings , Borders , Rock Gardens , Pond Edges , Naturalized Areas , Erosion Control, and Containers. COMPANION PLANTS: Shrub Rose , Russian Sage , Aster IMAGES: Daryl Mitchell from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' , CC BY-SA 2.0 , Photos by Patrick Standish ; (2) Ornamental Grasses , (3) Perennial Border *As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown
Plant profile
Easy plant guide
The essentials for choosing the right spot and knowing what to expect.
Where it grows best
Light
Full sun to part shade
Water
Likes moist soil
What to expect
Mature size
1–2 ft tall × 1–2 ft wide
Blooms
Spring · Summer · Fall
Winter hardiness
Zones 4–9
Good to know
Perfect for
Seasonal interest
How this plant changes through the year.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ask Horsford Gardens and Nursery about current availability
This catalogue is here to help you explore plants before you visit. Selection changes throughout the season, and the team can confirm what is in stock, what can be ordered, and which option fits your garden.
Catalogue imagery and descriptions are provided for plant discovery. In-store availability may change without notice.