- Botanical name: Elegia capensis
- Common name: Restio
- Family: Restionaceae
- Plant Type: Perennial, Evergreen
Green
Bronze
- Key features:
- Attractive seedheads
- Dramatic foliage
The horsetail restio, Elegia capensis, is a particularly elegant but invasive restio, bearing lush green, bamboo-like stems and soft, feathery, needle-like leaves. Cream-brown flowers complete the look. It’s perfect for growing in a large garden, where space isn’t an issue, and looks fantastic when grown at the edge of a water feature or pond.
Grow Elegia capensis in moist but well-drained, acid to neutral soil, in sun to partial shade. Protect from frost in winter. Cut back old stems to allow new ones to thrive.
How to grow Elegia capensis
-
Plant size
100cm height
5m spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle, back
- Sun exposure: Full sun, dappled shade, partial shade
- Hardiness: Frost hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy / clay / heavy / moist / chalky / alkaline / acidic
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does flower in July |
A
Plant does flower in August |
S
Plant does flower in September |
O
Plant does flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Divide | ||||||||||||
| Divide |
J
Do not Divide in January |
F
Do not Divide in February |
M
Do not Divide in March |
A
Do not Divide in April |
M
Do not Divide in May |
J
Do not Divide in June |
J
Do not Divide in July |
A
Do not Divide in August |
S
Do not Divide in September |
O
Do Divide in October |
N
Do Divide in November |
D
Do not Divide in December |
| Prune | ||||||||||||
| Prune |
J
Do not Prune in January |
F
Do not Prune in February |
M
Do Prune in March |
A
Do Prune in April |
M
Do not Prune in May |
J
Do not Prune in June |
J
Do not Prune in July |
A
Do not Prune in August |
S
Do not Prune in September |
O
Do not Prune in October |
N
Do not Prune in November |
D
Do not Prune in December |
Elegia capensis and wildlife
Elegia capensis has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Elegia capensis poisonous?
Elegia capensis has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
