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[2nd Image]
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| Category: Grass-like |
| Family: Restionaceae (Restios) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Brown |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Height: 10-16 feet |
| Width: 4-5 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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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 regular form. Plant in full sun to light shade. Requires a well-drained acidic soil and regular irrigation. Hardy at least to the mid 20°'s F. Bell Reed 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. Current revision of the genus by Dr. Peter Linder of the University of Zurich has split this plant away from Cannomois virgata and likely will end up as a form of Cannomois grandis 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. This seed comes 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.
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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