Cape Thatching Reed

Used for thatching in its native Cape Province in South Africa, Thamnochortus insignis is a cool-season, evergreen, perennial restio with an upright, very arching, clump-forming habit. Not fully hardy, it’s for mild areas only, but is very good where an architectural specimen is needed. The leaves are very long, very narrow and variegated. From June to August, the plant bears very attractive, golden-brown flowers; these are grown at the tips of the culms (stems) and are followed by attractive seed-heads in mid-autumn. This plant can be grown in a large container, and brought inside for the winter in cooler areas. No need to prune, just remove any damaged or tatty foliage.

Site: Tolerates exposure
Soil: Light, sandy, well-drained soil, preferably acid to neutral
Position: Full sun
Season of interest: June to August
Hardiness: Borderline hardy – provide winter protection
Height: 5’-6’6” (1.5-2m) Spread: 5’ (1.5m)

Photo by Kenraiz, cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.