About

Baloskion tetraphyllum 'Cornish Gold' is a tufted, evergreen perennial that spreads via rhizomes. Its slender stems display a combination of light green and golden-yellow bands. In summer, this male variety produces brown spikelets as its flowers.

About the genus

Baloskion consists of rhizomatous perennial plants characterized by their tufted, rush-like structure and delicate, feathery leaves. They produce subtle flowers arranged in brown spikelets, which can cluster to form substantial panicles. Notably, male and female flowers occur on different plants.

Growing conditions

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained

Aspect

South-facing, East-facing, West-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H3

Plant details

Plant type

Grass Like

Habit

Bushy

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Spread

0.5-1 metres

Time to full height

2-5 years

Suggested uses

Sub-tropical, Mediterranean climate plants, Patio and container plants

Care notes

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in a preferably acidic, peat-free, loam-based compost in full light. Water moderately when in growth during the spring, summer and early autumn, sparingly at other times. Plants may be placed outside in the summer and brought back under cover in frost-prone areas in the autumn, where they should overwinter in cool temperatures and low atmospheric humidity. Outdoors, in mild counties, grow in well-drained neutral to acid soil in full sun

Pruning

Not usually required; old stems may be removed

Propagation

A male cultivar, propagate by division of rhizomes in early spring

Pest resistance

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly when grown under glass

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free