- Botanical name: Elegia tectorum
- Common name: Restio
- Family: Restionaceae
- Plant Type: Perennial, Evergreen
Green
- Key features:
- Attractive seedheads
- Dramatic foliage
Traditionally used for thatching, Elegia tectorum bears clumps of thin, dark green stems, from which attractive, dark brown flower spikes appear in autumn. Like all members of the restio family, male and female flowers appear on separate plants. It’s ideal for growing in containers, as a screen or focal point in the garden or as part of a wider display.
Grow Elegia tectorum in moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Not fully hardy, you may need to offer protection if temperatures regularly fall below -8C°. Cut back old or damaged stems in spring.
How to grow Elegia tectorum
-
Plant size
1.5m height
100cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Frost hardy
- Soil type: Acidic / boggy / clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy
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 not flower in May |
J
Plant does not flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not 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 |
| 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 tectorum and wildlife
Elegia tectorum has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Elegia tectorum poisonous?
Elegia tectorum 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
Plants that go well with Elegia tectorum
