Grasses - Cottongrasses

Plant family

Sedge family (Cyperaceae)

Cultivation Break

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Semi-shaded

Water requirement

Wet

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Light germinator

Germination temperature

15 - 20 °C (Degrees Celsius)

Plant distance

30 cm

Row spacing

40 cm

Seeding depth

0.2 cm

Instructions

Description

Cottongrasses (bot. Eriophorum) are a genus of plants belonging to the sour grass family (Cyperaceae). The name of the genus has its origins in Greek. Here the word érion stands for wool. The word phoréein means to carry. The plant genus Eriophorum includes around 18 plant species worldwide. In addition to these species, there are many subspecies and subtypes. The Eriophorum species are mainly native to damp moorland areas. The characteristic woolly tuft on the plants is formed by the long threads on the perianth. The small tuft sits on the stems and is white to orange in color. The woolly tufts are not flowers. Rather, the woolly forms are formed when the plant is fruiting. The cotton grass plant genus is known by countless trivial names in German-speaking countries. In the south of Bavaria, around Augsburg, the plants are called cotton grass, wild cotton, bensen silk or bedfeathers. In Switzerland, plants of the genus Eriophorum are known by the common names Bäuseli or Riedgras. In northern Germany, species from the cotton grass genus are known by the common name Püskegras. The Silesians refer to the plants as old maids, meadow flax or Quispelbinsen. Distribution Plants of the genus Eriophorum are widespread in temperate to subarctic regions in the northern hemisphere. Cottongrass species can be found throughout Europe. Their distribution area extends as far as Greenland. Eriophorum species also grow in arctic and temperate parts of Asia and North America. The plants thrive at altitudes of up to 1,960 meters above sea level. Growth Cottongrass species are perennial plants. Their growth is herbaceous and robust. Depending on the species, the plants grow to heights of between 10-60 cm. Some species of the genus reach heights of up to 90 cm. Rarely do species or subspecies grow taller. Some species of the genus grow in loose grass. They then form long runners and rhizomes. Other species grow in dense and loose clumps. They do not form stolons, but stand together in a dense turf. The stems of the plants develop upright and are round in cross-section and angular towards the top. Leaf The leaves of plants in the genus Eriophorum differ from species to species. They are usually long and pointed in shape. Some of the leaf sheaths appear inflated. The width of the sheaths ranges from 1-6 mm. In cross-section, the blades are triangular and grooved. The leaves are dark green to a dull gray-green. In some species, the color of the leaves changes to a coppery red in late summer. The leaves of the Eriophorum species become narrower towards the tip. Depending on the species, they can grow up to one meter in length and hang down in an arch. Flower Eriophorum species flower between March and May. Some of the plant species show a second flowering in late summer. The inflorescence of the plant species in this genus often has two deciduous bracts. It consists of three to five spikelets. Sometimes there are up to eight of these spike-like flower formations. In some species the spikelets sit on the stem, in others they have smooth stems and hang over slightly. Spikelets of Eriophorum species reach a length of between 10-22 mm. The numerous filaments on the perianth grow up to 5 cm long after flowering. Later they detach together with the fruits. This forms the typical woolly tuft of cotton grass species. Fruit Plants of the Eriophorum species form nut-like nuts. They are characteristic and typical of the grasses. In botany they are known as caryopses, cariopses, grains or cereals. The caryopsis of cotton grass species is triangular and has a short tip. Depending on the plant species, the fruits can be up to four millimetres long. They are reddish-brown to black. Utilization Cottongrass species are useful in the renaturation of raised bogs. Here they act as the first colonizers of areas without vegetation, such as peat extraction.

Growing tips

🌞 Location & soil - Semi-shady to sunny, cool location - Pond shore, shallow water zone, swamp areas, wet meadow, bog bed - Wind-tolerant - Humic, loose, gravelly, peaty (bog soil) - Nutrient-poor soil - Acidic to moderately acidic, low in lime - always moist 🌱 Sowing & planting - Direct sowing: fall (cold germinator) - Substrate: constantly moist, boggy soil & sand - Germination temperature: 15-20 °C / 0-5°C - Germination period: germination from April/May - Sowing depth: 0.2 cm (light germinator) - Planting distance: 30-40 cm - Propagation: Division in spring or fall 💧 Care - Watering: keep evenly moist, no tap water (in the morning or evening) - Fertilization: not necessary - Do not remove plant remains in the fall, build up humus - For self-sowing, allow a few seed heads to mature 🌿 Good neighbors - marsh marigold, marsh forget-me-not, feverfew, marsh fritillary - Water iris, sphagnum moss, marsh hair-grass, cranberry, ferns, reeds - Dactylorhiza, orchid (Dactylorhiza), carnivorous plants 🚫 Bad neighbors - Oregano, thyme, sage, savory, lemon balm, dill, coriander, wormwood - Lavender, rosemary, limb herbs, olive herb, sedum - Rhododendron, roses, hydrangea, lady's slipper - Ivy, goutweed, mint, comfrey, woodruff - Chinese reed, lamplighter grass, fescue, sedge - Phlox, delphinium, coneflower - Funkia, bamboo, begonia, hellebore, purple bellflower - hazel, elder, privet, forsythia - Walnut, maple, birch, willow, chestnut, weigelie, alder - Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries 🍂 Diseases - Gray mold - Leaf spot diseases - Root rot 🐌 Pests - Aphids - Cicadas - Caterpillars - snails