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Grass Like

Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Eldorado' (v)

Slowly spreading, clump-forming, deciduous perennial grass about 1.2m tall, with arching glossy mid-green leaves striped and margined yellow, the variegation fading as the growing season progresses. Upright stems produce soft, pale purple-brown, plume-like flower sprays, in mid and late summer, persisting into winter

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Calamagrostis are robust rhizomatous perennial grasses, forming tufts of linear leaves, with erect stems bearing dense branching flowering panicles in summer
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Tolerant of a range of conditions but best in moisture retentive well-drained soil with full sun or part shade

Propagation

Propagate by division in mid-spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Prairie planting
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back old stems to the ground in early spring before growth resumes

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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