Botanical Name: Chondropetalum tectorum
Common Name: Cape Thatching Grass

 

Use: Outdoors
Indigenous/Exotic : Indigenous
Evergreen/Deciduous : Evergreen
Plant Type : Grass
Flower Colour :
Foliage Colour : Green
Best Season : All seasons
Light : Sun to semi-shade
Hardiness : Hardy
Attributes : Wind resistant
Height (m) : 2.5
Spread (m) : 1.5
    
Notes: One genus within the large Restio family which is typical of the Western Cape Fynbos. A pretty grass variety which makes an ideal foliage plant for the home garden. It's particularly suited to pond margins and stream banks as it does not shed its foliage. Wind Resistant. Moderate growth rate. Forms large clumps of long, soft, feathery, needle-like leaves. Prefers sandy well-drained soil to which a generous amount of compost has been added. Cut back stems at ground level to keep neat. Can be propagated from seed, but the germination rate is low. Water well in Winter in the Summer rainfall areas.

 

Restio's are particularly suitable for low-maintenance feature planting and combine well with proteas, pincushions and ericas. The Cape Thatching Reed is traditionally associated with the thatched roofs typical of Cape Dutch architecture.