Calamagrostis: A Deep Dive with Ferb Vu
As a plant enthusiast, I’ve always been drawn to the subtle beauty and understated elegance of grasses. They bring a unique texture and movement to any landscape, and among my favorites is the genus Calamagrostis. These versatile plants, commonly known as reed grasses or smallweeds, offer a wide array of forms and colors, making them a fantastic addition to any garden.
Understanding Calamagrostis
Calamagrostis is a large genus belonging to the Poaceae family, boasting over 200 species. They are primarily found in temperate regions across the globe, often thriving in diverse habitats, from meadows and forest edges to wetlands and mountainous areas. This adaptability is a testament to their hardiness and resilience.
One of the defining characteristics of Calamagrostis is their growth habit. They typically form dense clumps of slender, upright stems adorned with narrow leaves. In summer, these clumps erupt with feathery plumes of flowers, ranging in color from pale green to golden brown. These inflorescences persist well into winter, providing structural interest and a touch of warmth to the otherwise dormant landscape.
Notable Calamagrostis Species
The diversity within the Calamagrostis genus is truly remarkable. Here are:
- Calamagrostis abnormis (Hook.f.) U.Shukla
- Calamagrostis acuminata (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis × acutiflora (Schrad.) DC.
- Calamagrostis admiranda Charit.
- Calamagrostis adpressiramea Ohwi
- Calamagrostis affinis (M.Gray) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis ajanensis Kharkev. & Prob.
- Calamagrostis alajica Litv.
- Calamagrostis altaica Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis × amgunensis Prob.
- Calamagrostis × andrejewii Litv.
- Calamagrostis angustifolia Kom.
- Calamagrostis anthoxanthoides (Munro ex Hook.f.) Regel
- Calamagrostis appressa (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis archboldii Hitchc.
- Calamagrostis arenaria (L.) Roth
- Calamagrostis arenosa Charit.
- Calamagrostis arundinacea (L.) Roth
- Calamagrostis atjehensis Ohwi
- Calamagrostis australis (Moritzi) Buse
- Calamagrostis autumnalis Koidz.
- Calamagrostis × badzhalensis Prob.
- Calamagrostis balkharica P.A.Smirn.
- Calamagrostis × baltica (Flüggé ex Schrad.) Trin.
- Calamagrostis benthamiana (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis × bihariensis Simonk.
- Calamagrostis bogotensis (Pilg.) Pilg.
- Calamagrostis bolanderi Thurb.
- Calamagrostis borii Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis brachyathera (Stapf) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis breviglumis (Benth.) Hack. ex Maiden & Betche
- Calamagrostis breviligulata (Fernald) Saarela
- Calamagrostis breweri Thurb.
- Calamagrostis burejensis Prob. & Barkalov
- Calamagrostis caerulea Charit.
- Calamagrostis cainii Hitchc.
- Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) P.Beauv.
- Calamagrostis canescens (Weber) Roth
- Calamagrostis carchiensis Laegaard
- Calamagrostis carinata (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis caucasica Trin.
- Calamagrostis chalybaea (Laest.) Fr.
- Calamagrostis chaseae Luces
- Calamagrostis cleefii Escalona
- Calamagrostis conferta (Keng) P.C.Kuo & S.L.Lu
- Calamagrostis congesta Charit.
- Calamagrostis crassiuscula (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis curtoides (Rúgolo & Villav.) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis × czerepanovii Husseinov
- Calamagrostis debilis Hook.f.
- Calamagrostis decipiens (R.Br.) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis decora Hook.f.
- Calamagrostis deschampsiiformis C.E.Hubb.
- Calamagrostis deschampsioides Trin.
- Calamagrostis diemii (Rúgolo) Soreng
- Calamagrostis diffusa (Keng) Keng f.
- Calamagrostis dmitrievae Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis don-hensonii (Reznicek & Judz.) Saarela
- Calamagrostis drummondii (Steud.) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis effusiflora (Rendle) P.C.Kuo & S.L.Lu ex J.L.Yang
- Calamagrostis elatior (Griseb.) A.Camus
- Calamagrostis emodensis Griseb.
- Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth
- Calamagrostis extremiorientalis (Tzvelev) Prob.
- Calamagrostis fauriei Hack.
- Calamagrostis filiformis Griseb.
- Calamagrostis × filipes (Keng) P.C.Kuo & S.L.Lu ex J.L.Yang
- Calamagrostis flaccida Keng f.
- Calamagrostis foliosa Kearney
- Calamagrostis fulgida Laegaard
- Calamagrostis gamblei Paszko
- Calamagrostis gaoligongensis (Paszko) Paszko
- Calamagrostis gigas Takeda
- Calamagrostis × gracilescens (Blytt) Blytt
- Calamagrostis × grandiseta Takeda
- Calamagrostis griffithii (Bor) G.Singh
- Calamagrostis guamanensis Escalona
- Calamagrostis guatemalensis Hitchc.
- Calamagrostis hakonensis Franch. & Sav.
- Calamagrostis × hartmaniana Fr.
- Calamagrostis × haussknechtiana Torges
- Calamagrostis hedbergii Melderis
- Calamagrostis hillebrandii (Munro ex Hillebr.) Hitchc.
- Calamagrostis himalaica (L.Liu ex Wen L.Chen) Paszko
- Calamagrostis holciformis Jaub. & Spach
- Calamagrostis holmii Lange
- Calamagrostis hongii Paszko & Bing Liu
- Calamagrostis howellii Vasey
- Calamagrostis imbricata (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis inaequalis (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis × indagata Torges & Hausskn.
- Calamagrostis inexpansa A.Gray
- Calamagrostis insperata Swallen
- Calamagrostis inundata Charit.
- Calamagrostis kalarica Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis koelerioides Vasey
- Calamagrostis kokonorica Keng ex Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis × kolymaensis Kom.
- Calamagrostis korotkyi Litv.
- Calamagrostis korshinskyi Litv.
- Calamagrostis × kotulae Zapał.
- Calamagrostis kozhevnikovii Prob. & Prokop.
- Calamagrostis × kuznetzovii Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis lahulensis G.Singh
- Calamagrostis lapponica (Wahlenb.) Hartm.
- Calamagrostis lawrencei (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis leonardii Chase
- Calamagrostis ligulata (Kunth) Hitchc.
- Calamagrostis linifolia Govaerts
- Calamagrostis llanganatensis Laegaard
- Calamagrostis lonana Eggenb. & Leibundg.
- Calamagrostis longiseta Hack.
- Calamagrostis macilenta (Griseb.) Litv.
- Calamagrostis macrolepis Litv.
- Calamagrostis masamunei Honda
- Calamagrostis matsumurae Maxim.
- Calamagrostis mckiei (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis mesathera (Stapf ex Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis microseta (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis × microtis (Ohwi) Ohwi
- Calamagrostis minarovii Hüseyin
- Calamagrostis minor (Benth.) J.M.Black
- Calamagrostis montanensis (Scribn.) Scribn. ex Vasey
- Calamagrostis moupinensis Franch.
- Calamagrostis muiriana B.L.Wilson & Sami Gray
- Calamagrostis munroi Boiss.
- Calamagrostis nagarum (Bor) G.Singh
- Calamagrostis nana Takeda
- Calamagrostis nandadeviensis P.Agnihotri & D.Prasad
- Calamagrostis neocontracta Govaerts
- Calamagrostis niitakayamensis Honda
- Calamagrostis ningxiaensis D.Z.Ma & J.N.Li
- Calamagrostis nivicola (Hook.f.) Hand.-Mazz.
- Calamagrostis nudiflora (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis nutkaensis (J.Presl) Steud.
- Calamagrostis nyingchiensis (P.C.Kuo & S.L.Lu) Paszko
- Calamagrostis obtusata Trin.
- Calamagrostis onibitoana Tateoka
- Calamagrostis ophitidis (J.T.Howell) Nygren
- Calamagrostis oreophila Mabb.
- Calamagrostis × paradoxa Lipsky
- Calamagrostis parsana (Bor) M.Dogan
- Calamagrostis parviseta (Vickery) Reeder
- Calamagrostis pavlovii Roshev.
- Calamagrostis perplexa Scribn.
- Calamagrostis pickeringii A.Gray
- Calamagrostis pinetorum Swallen
- Calamagrostis pisinna Swallen
- Calamagrostis × ponojensis Montell
- Calamagrostis porteri A.Gray
- Calamagrostis × prahliana Torges
- Calamagrostis przevalskyi Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis × pseudodeschampsioides Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis pseudophragmites (Haller f.) Koeler
- Calamagrostis pungens Tovar
- Calamagrostis purpurascens R.Br.
- Calamagrostis purpurea (Trin.) Trin.
- Calamagrostis pusilla Reeder
- Calamagrostis ramonae Escalona
- Calamagrostis reflexa (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis × rigens Fr.
- Calamagrostis rodwayi (Vickery) Govaerts
- Calamagrostis rubescens Buckley
- Calamagrostis sachalinensis F.Schmidt
- Calamagrostis sajanensis Malyschev
- Calamagrostis salina Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis scabrescens Griseb.
- Calamagrostis scabriflora Swallen
- Calamagrostis schmidtiana Tzvelev & Prob.
- Calamagrostis scopulorum M.E.Jones
- Calamagrostis scotica (Druce) Druce
- Calamagrostis sesquiflora (Trin.) Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis sichotensis Tzvelev & Prob.
- Calamagrostis sichuanensis J.L.Yang
- Calamagrostis sinelatior (Keng f.) P.C.Kuo & S.L.Lu ex J.L.Yang
- Calamagrostis sorengii (Paszko & W.L.Chen) Paszko
- Calamagrostis spruceana (Wedd.) Hack. ex Sodiro
- Calamagrostis srilankensis Davidse
- Calamagrostis staintonii G.Singh
- Calamagrostis stenophylla Hand.-Mazz.
- Calamagrostis stolizkae Hook.f.
- Calamagrostis stricta (Timm) Koeler
- Calamagrostis × strigosa (Wahlenb.) Hartm.
- Calamagrostis subacrochaeta Nakai
- Calamagrostis × subchalybaea Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis × subepigeios Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis × submonticola Prob.
- Calamagrostis × subneglecta Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis subscabra Charit.
- Calamagrostis subvivipara Charit.
- Calamagrostis suka Speg.
- Calamagrostis tacomensis K.L.Marr & Hebda
- Calamagrostis tashiroi Ohwi
- Calamagrostis × tatianae Prob.
- Calamagrostis teberdensis Litv.
- Calamagrostis tenuissima Charit.
- Calamagrostis tianschanica Rupr.
- Calamagrostis tibetica (Bor) Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis × torgesiana Hausskn.
- Calamagrostis tripilifera Hook.f.
- Calamagrostis turkestanica Hack.
- Calamagrostis tzvelevii Hüseyin
- Calamagrostis × uralensis Litv.
- Calamagrostis × ussuriensis Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis utsutsuensis Otting & B.L.Wilson
- Calamagrostis varia (Schrad.) Host
- Calamagrostis × vassiljevii Tzvelev
- Calamagrostis veresczaginii Zolot.
- Calamagrostis villosa (Chaix) J.F.Gmel.
- Calamagrostis × wirtgeniana Hausskn.
- Calamagrostis yanyuanensis J.L.Yang
- Calamagrostis zejensis Prob.
- Calamagrostis × zerninensis Lüderw.
Why I Appreciate Calamagrostis
My fascination with Calamagrostis stems from several factors. First and foremost, I admire their resilience and adaptability. They can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, from full sun to partial shade and from moist to well-drained soils. This makes them a low-maintenance choice for busy gardeners like myself.
Secondly, I appreciate their aesthetic versatility. Calamagrostis can be incorporated into various garden styles, from formal to informal. They can be used as striking focal points, elegant accents in mixed borders, or even as screens and hedges. Their vertical lines and airy texture provide a beautiful contrast to other plant forms, adding depth and complexity to the landscape.
Finally, I value their ecological contributions. Calamagrostis provides habitat and food sources for various wildlife, including birds and insects. Their deep root systems help to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. Moreover, many species are native to their respective regions, contributing to the biodiversity and ecological balance of the local environment.
Cultivating Calamagrostis
Growing Calamagrostis is a relatively straightforward process. Most species prefer a sunny location with well-drained soil. However, some, like Calamagrostis brachytricha, tolerate partial shade and moist conditions. Once established, they are fairly drought-tolerant and require minimal watering.
In late winter or early spring, it’s beneficial to cut back the old foliage to make way for new growth. This helps to maintain the plant’s appearance and prevent it from becoming too unkempt. Dividing mature clumps every few years can help to maintain their vigor and prevent overcrowding.
Conclusion
Calamagrostis is a truly remarkable genus that deserves a prominent place in any garden. Their beauty, resilience, and ecological value make them an invaluable asset to both the gardener and the environment. Whether you’re looking for a striking specimen plant, a graceful addition to a mixed border, or a sustainable choice for your landscape, Calamagrostis has something to offer. I encourage you to explore the diversity of this genus and discover the many ways it can enhance your own garden.
