Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Avalanche'

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Price:  £7.20 –+ Add to Basket Brand:  The Plantsman's Preference Family:  Poaceae Main Season:  All Year Flower Colour:  Purple Leaf Colour:  White/cream variegated Foliage:  Deciduous Position:  Sun Soil Type:  Ordinary, medium loam Height:  1.2m to 1.8m (4' to 6') Peat Free?  Yes Hardiness Guide:  RHS H7 minimum at least -20C Pot Size:  1.4L Availability:      Approx. 10 in stock View our Pot Size guide:

Bright creamy white striped leaves, tinged pink and upright purplish pink flowers in summer. 1.2m. Dense clumps of foliage provide upright columns of stems that last all winter, cut back in February. Average soil in sun.

This striking form offers a good alternative to the older Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam' that has been popular for many years now.  The strongest variegation on both is present on the young growth but it is longer lasting on 'Avalanche' which also benefits from bright creamy coloured stems compared to the gree stems on 'Overdam'.

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Avalanche' can be used both as a foliage plant (cut back when it starts to flower) and as a flowering plant with the advantage of variegated leaves.  Best grown in reasonable soil in sun but it will take a little shade.  Too rich a soil or too much shade will make the flower stems weak and inclined to flop. Cut back to ground level in late winter - the new growth appears early so don't leave it until spring.

A sport of the usual green leaved form Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' found at wholesale nursery American Ornamantal Perennials in Oregon, USA.