About
Spikes of yellowish, tufted flowers are followed by tidy, rounded, cottonwool seedheads. A native sedge, common in the west and north of the British Isles. The neatest of the three native cotton grasses, forming dense tussocks of very narrow leaves on triangular stems.
About the genus
Eriophorum are evergreen rhizomatous perennials forming spreading clumps of tufted, linear leaves, with solitary or clustered, ovoid black-scaled, silky-haired flower-heads, followed by conspicuous cottony white fruiting heads
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moisturePoorly-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed
UK hardinessH7
Plant details
Plant typeAquatic, Bogs, Grass Like
HabitTufted
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesWildflower meadow
Care notes
CultivationOccuring in wet, peaty, acid soils such as moorland bogs, and suitable for pond edges, bog gardens or other acid to neutral soils that are permanently wet
PruningNo pruning required, but deadheading can prolong flowering
PropagationPropagate by division of tussocks in early spring, ensuring each portion retains plenty of roots
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free