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Cannomois grandis “Large Seed Form” (Tall Bell Reed) This is a robust form of Cannomois grandis with stems that can reach up to 12 to 15 feet tall with clumps that are a bit more open than the smaller form with stiffly erect culms that have persistent bright reddish-pink sheaths and drooping hair-like foliage. The new growth is particularly showy and male plants have a spectacular inflorescence of hundreds of spherical shiny brown flowers while females produce spindle-shaped spikelets covered with hard bracts. The seed of this plant is over twice the size of the seed of the typical form of the species.
Plant in full sun to light shade. Requires a well-drained acidic soil and regular irrigation. Is cold hardy at least to the mid 20°'s F. This plant makes a nice specimen plant is conditions it is happy with in the ground but can also be stunning container plant.
Cannomois grandis is native to streams or wet mountainous areas of the Cape area of South Africa (from Clanwilliam to Humansdorp) from sea level up to around 5,000 feet. The name for the genus is derived from the Greek words 'canna' meaning "cane" and 'omoios meaning ‘similar’. The specific epithet is Latin meaning "large", "tall" or "full grown" in reference to this plant's large growth form. The common name bell reed or bellreed is a name coined by the cut flower industry for the sprays of small bell-shaped flowers on male plants.
The Current revision of the genus Cannomois by Dr. Peter Linder of the University of Zurich indicated that the then monotypic species Cannomois virgata be split into 3 separate species and plants currently grown in California nurseries as Cannomois virgata were renamed Cannomois grandis. The nomenclatural changes being considered would make this taller clumping plant Cannomois grandis while the true Cannomois virgata is a name reserved for a shorter rapidly spreading rhizomatous plant but the genus is considered to be a taxonomic mess. This large seed form plant is overall larger than the plants we originally started growing in 2003 as Cannomois virgata and currently still grow as our regular form of Cannomois grandis based on Linder's revision. To add confusion to the mix, there is the possibility that hybrids of Cannomois are occurring in cultivation. We continue to grow our original crops of Cannomois that we first got from Silverhill Seed in South Africa as Cannomois virgata in 2003 and list it as Cannomois grandis.
The seed for this crop came originally from the Restio master, Martin Grantham, through the Plantsman's Pocket listing at Seedhunt Seeds this plant is prominently displayed in several San Francisco Bay gardens that were supplied by Martin Grantham. Our current crops are from seed of larges specimen plants maintained in our nursery.
This information about Cannomois grandis "Large Seed Form" displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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