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This restio is a tall, dark green, elegant plant with large, decorative, papery sheaths along the stems. It is a good feature plant next to a pond, a swimming pool or in the garden. The stems grow from underground rhizomes, are quite thick, divided into sections (internodes) like bamboo plants and can be up to 3 m tall. At each node there is a circle of clumps of long, needle-like branches, which give the plant its horsetail-like appearance. The young stems also have a large, leaf-like structure or sheath around the stem at each node, which protects the growing point as each section is formed. As the stem grows older, these sheaths become stiff and parchment-like and stand away from the stem. When the plants are nearly ready to flower, the sheaths fall off and leave the stems with a thin line and the long, fully-grown clumps of needle-like branches. This is a very widespread species in or near the mountain ranges of the western, southern and eastern Cape, as far as Port Elizabeth. The plants grow from near sea level to an altitude of 1 600 m in fairly poor, sandy soils but always near watercourses, in seepages on mountain slopes or in areas where groundwater is present. Where there is a lot of water the plants look lush and deep green. With less water the plants are under more stress and they will be smaller with a sparser and more yellowish look. Unless well protected, the plants should not be exposed to frost and require the growing conditions of a Mediterranean climate with a reasonable amount of irrigation. Elegia capensis can be propagated by seed or to a smaller degree by division. The seeds react well to treatment with smoke or with the “Smoke Primer” seed primer. Without this treatment the germination rate is poor. The plants are best grown from seed. The plants adapt to a large variety of soil types but do not like to grow in heavy clay soils or in soils with a clay layer. The best time for planting restios is at the beginning of the rainy season, April-May in fynbos areas. The plants need regular watering to look at their best. They may be fed with standard organic fertilizers, a slow-release fertilizer or by sprinkling the surrounding soil with a small amount of ammonium sulphate during the growing season. Sometimes this species will suddenly start to look yellowish, showing a need for a fairly high nitrogen fertilizer.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

A magnificent small, upright, tufted restio that shows off its golden–tan sheaths and bracts in early to midsummer, and makes a spectacular filler in the fynbos garden. Elegia filacea is a reed-like, tufted, evergreen perennial, that grows from 0.2 to 0.8 m high and 0.1 m wide. It is compact, and does not have spreading rhizomes or stolons. Culms (stems) are slender, round and unbranched. It produces golden-tan sheaths, which drop off and leave small dark abscission rings at the nodes along the culms. Elegia filacea flowers in early summer to midsummer (October to February), and seeds are released in late summer, before the next cohort of flowers are produced. The fruits are small, triangular nutlets. Elegia filacea is widely distributed in the Cape Floristic Region, occurring in the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape, in Namaqualand, Northern Mountains, West Coast, Cape Peninsula, Southwestern Mountains, Bredasdorp Plains, Swartberg, Little Karoo, Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains. This species is common in provincial Conservation Areas and National Parks, at 10–2 000 m above sea level. Elegia filacea grows in Fynbos, in well-drained soils derived from Peninsula Formation Sandstone, and on sandy plains and at the bottom of valleys. A wide stand is found at Suurvlakte in the southern Cederberg, where it dominates on rocky slopes and in deep sand on the sandy plain. This is a beautiful small restio to use in any fynbos garden, in a well-drained soil and it can also tolerate alkaline soil. It can be used as a filler among the slow-growing shrubs, such as buchus, to cover the space between the plants or as a border. The easiest way to propagate Elegia filacea is by seed. The seed are sown in the early winter season when the night temperature drops to 5–10ºC and the day temperature is 15–20ºC. Treat the seed with Seed Primer. Soak the seeds or dust them with fungicide and water the sowed seeds with fungicide once a week to prevent fungal infection.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

This restio makes an attractive garden plant, and can be used for thatching. Elegia tectorum has an upright, symmetrical, tufted reed-like appearance with thin, dark green stems topped with dark brown flowers in slender compact spikes in autumn. It is usually about 1 m tall and may reach up to 1.5 m in height with a spread of up to 2-3 m. Like all members of the Restio family, Elegia tectorum has male and female flowers on separate plants. The flowers are small and are borne in compound loosely branched inflorescences. Female flowers are protected by golden brown bracts. The Cape thatching reed flowers in autumn (from March to April) and flowering lasts for about 4 weeks. In nature, restios are mostly found in the Western Cape fynbos region where they occur together with proteas, pincushions, Erica's and other fynbos species. Elegia tectorum occurs naturally in marshes and seeps on deep sand in the Western and Eastern Cape extending from Clanwilliam to Port Elizabeth. Restios are best grown from seed and since the seed in many species is very fine, it needs to be handled carefully. Treatment with smoke greatly increases the germination rate of this and many other species of Restionaceae. The main requirements for growing restios successfully are full sun, a well-drained soil and plenty of air movement. The plants adapt to a large variety of soil types. The best time for planting restios is at the beginning of the rainy season, as the plants need regular watering during the first six weeks to two months after planting. After this initial period the plants can survive with very little additional watering. They may be fed with standard organic fertilizers. Restios will respond to regular watering by showing more robust growth, but they are essentially plants which are adapted to a long dry season.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

Rhodocoma arida is a tidy plant for drier sites. Erect narrow columns of bright blue-grey culms distinguish this species from most other restios. Its branched juvenile foliage vanishes with time, and the thin culms stand erect. Dense clumps typically reach 15cm in height, and the effect stays very vertical if watering is not too generous. Germination is greatly improved with treatment of smoke seed primer.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

A very elegant reed-like plant with slightly arching branches which have whorls of finely divided, feathery looking foliage. This species can be grown as part of a mixed border or in containers and grows to a height of 1 to 2 m. Tufted, compact plants of 1 to 2 m high, the diameter at the base growing up to 1 m. The stems are quite sturdy and have distinct nodes like a bamboo. At each node there is a thick whorl of finely divided, fertile branches, giving the whole plant a feathery appearance. The colour of the foliage-like branches is a deep green with small brown inflorescences at the tips. The growth form of this species is quite unique in that all the branchlets are fertile, in contrast with other restios where the finely divided side stems are not fertile. The branches are slightly arching and this gives the plants a very elegant appearance. The plants can reach a height of 1 to 1.5 m in three years and with age become slightly more upright and can reach a height of 2 m after five to seven years. Male and female plants flower sporadically from September to November, the female flowers are a deep pink, whereas the male flowers are pale yellow-green. This is a very widespread species and can be found along roadsides, streamsides, in little pockets of soil in between rocks, and in damp loamy soils from the Cederberg in the Western Cape all along the inland margins of the Cape Fold Mountains to Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. Germination is greatly improved with treatment of smoke seed primer.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

With its upright growing stems and arching, bright green feathery foliage, Rhodocoma gigantea is one of the tallest and most attractive of the restios. Rhodocoma gigantea is a compact, tufted plant which can grow to a height of 2 to 3 m, with a basal diameter of 0.1 to 0.5 m and a crown diameter of 0.5 to 1.5 m. Upright flowering stems rise and droop over the bright green, lush foliage. The male and female plants occur separately. Occurring at altitudes of 100-400 m, Rhodocoma gigantea is distributed in the coastal mountains in the eastern part of the Western Cape and stretches to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. It is found mainly on the coastal mountains from George to Port Elizabeth and is rarely found on the inland slopes of the Tzitzikamma Mountains. These tufted, reed-like perennials have great horticultural value as they are becoming more popular in Cape gardens. This elegant, large, grass-like plant with its lush foliage will make a focal feature in any fynbos garden. It grows easily in well-drained soils and does not require excessive watering. Germination is greatly improved with treatment of smoke seed primer.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

Staberoha is a group of plants in the Restionaceae genus. The entire genus is endemic to Cape Province in South Africa. An extremely attractive restio that grows to a height of 60cm. Germination is greatly improved with treatment of smoke seed primer.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

Thamnochortus is a group of plants in the Restionaceae genus. The entire genus is endemic to Cape Province in South Africa. Growing to 2m with decorative flowers and suited to being grown in pots or in the open. Germination is greatly improved with treatment of smoke seed primer.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring

Thamnochortus is a group of plants in the Restionaceae genus. The entire genus is endemic to Cape Province in South Africa. A 0.5m restio with silvery bracts found commonly on dry gravelly slopes. Makes a good feature plant. Germination is greatly improved with treatment of smoke seed primer.

For the best germination results with these seeds we recommend treating these seeds with Cape Seed Primer.

USDA Zone - 8

Season to Sow - Autumn / Spring