Airy and elegantly minimalist, restios are charming but they also present something of a conundrum, defying easy categorisation and not all that frequently grown. Essentially, they are grassy in appearance, with long, green stems, brownish flowers and array of low-key yet sophisticated features that bring to mind more well-known subjects, such as reeds, sedges, horsetails or even bamboo. But their good manners in the garden and their distinct preference for bright and mostly dry conditions set restios apart.
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Despite their good looks and behaviour, restios are not widely grown as an ornamental plant, although they are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa, where there is a renewed focus on native planting and water-wise gardens, and well-adapted species are becoming more desirable. A fairly small number of genera and species have also been brought into broader cultivation in the Northern Hemisphere; of these, only around eight to ten could be considered common and other than a small number of good, seed-selected forms, no cultivars yet exist.
In the garden, restios are an excellent feature or accent plant, and with their long, bold culms fanning out gracefully from a narrow base, they look particularly good in an uncrowded spot. The fine foliage forms a translucent screen, yet it is deceptively robust and highly wind tolerant. Their fondness for an open, sunny position means that restios are an ideal option for a blustery site, and they lend themselves well to seaside gardens and other exposed areas. If they have a fault, it is their pickiness as regards soil. Restios dislike boggy ground intensely, so where drainage may be an issue, plant them on a slope or a mound of sand, so the water can run away, and in really wet soil, or where the pH is alkaline, consider growing them in a raised bed or large container.
How to grow restios
Where to grow restios
Restios do well in bright, warm Mediterranean climates and resent being moved. A sunny spot with a neutral to acid pH is ideal. Improve heavy soil by adding organic matter, and drainage can be assured by planting on a slope; an important consideration as these plants will struggle and die in a waterlogged spot.
How to establish restios
Grow young plants in pots for their first few years, during which time they will demonstrate a characteristic, fluffy and lax juvenile morphology. In their third year, they will switch to their adult form and send up typically distinctive and elegant stems. Once they are well established, they can be potted up or planted out in their final positions.
When to plant restios
Restios may be planted out at any time of year, removing the pot and burying the root ball 2-5cm beneath the soil surface. Mulching thickly will help retain moisture and aid establishment, and this also protects the rhizome over winter, allowing the plant to regrow from the base if it is damaged by frost. Newly planted specimens often sulk for a year or two while they settle in.
How to care for restios
In the wild, restios are accustomed to nutrient-poor conditions and they don’t require much feeding in cultivation either. Watering occasionally with dilute liquid seaweed can be beneficial but it is important not to overdo the nutrients; alkaline fertilisers containing phosphate and bonemeal should be avoided.
How to divide restios
With a few exceptions, they don’t lend themselves to division, so most plants are grown from seed. Some commercially available seed is available, but it can also be harvested when ripe, from plants already in cultivation. Having originated in a fire-dependent prairie landscape, the seeds germinate better when exposed to chemicals in smoke, which help break their dormancy. Smoke primer is available online, or suspend seeds in damp muslin bags over a small smoky fire of dry twigs and leaves for around 30 minutes.
Can you grow restios in pots?
Compact restio species make striking, ferny pot plants. Use a free-draining ericaceous compost such as Sylvagrow, perhaps mixed with a little bark; add slow-release fertiliser, or commit to regular feeding, and keep the pots moist at all times. In cold weather, move the pot under cover to protect the plant from freezing.
How often to water restios
While they are generally well-adapted to average summer droughts, most species will look best if watered fairly regularly, as this will support the plant’s rapid spring growth and natural lushness. Given optimum conditions, restios aren’t generally troubled by pests and diseases.
Where to see and buy restios
Burncoose Nurseries Gwennap, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 6BJ. Tel 01209 860316, burncoose.co.uk
Kelnan Plants Little Kenegie, Gulval, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8YN. Tel 07773 586603, kelnanplants.com. Not generally open to the public, but can be found at Truro farmers’ market and occasionally opens by appointment.
Penberth Plants Penberth Cottage. St Buryan, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 6HJ. penberthplants.co.uk Mail order only.
Trevena Cross Breage, Helston, Cornwall TR13 9PY. Tel 01736 763880, trevenacross.co.uk
Restios in brief
- What are restios? Grass-like plants in the Restionaceae family, restios make up of around 50 genera of evergreen, rhizomatous, clump-forming plants. The leaves are reduced to sheaths on the verdant stems, and the small flowers are offset by ornamental bracts. Usually referred to as restios. All species are dioeceous (ie male and female plants).
- Season in the garden Evergreen stems provide year-round interest.
- How big to restios grow? Ranging from 10cm to 3m tall and forming clumps 15cm to 2m wide.
- Best conditions to grow restios The species in cultivation demand well-drained, neutral-to-acid soil and full sun.
- Origins of Restios Restios are found in all continents of the Southern Hemisphere.
Hardiness Restios are not completely frost-hardy. Most species sold for UK cultivation will tolerate temperatures of around -8ºC to-10ºC, although established specimens are often more resilient to cold.
The best restios for your garden
Staberoha aemula
With fine stems and fluffy caramel-coloured inflorescences, this plant’s slow growth rate and compact size lend it to smaller spaces. It can be challenging to cultivate. Hardy to -8°C. 60-90cm x 50cm. USDA 10a-11.
Elegia capensis
Lush, fast-growing, green stems form bold clumps. Punky, bright-green spikes are clustered at the nodes, and clasped by chestnut and cream sheaths. Hardy to about -8°C. Height and spread: 2m x 1m. AGM*. RHS H3†.
Thamnochortus insignis
A clumping, fan-shaped plant with upright, boldly striped stems and highly ornamental flowerheads. Plant in free-draining soil in sun, or grow in a pot when young. Hardy to about -10°C. 2m x 1m. AGM. RHS H3.
Elegia equisetacea
Has slender stems banded with pointed chestnut-brown bracts, and an upright habit. The golden bracts within the inflorescence last for months. Hardy to -8°C, 1.2m x 50cm. AGM. RHS H3.
Elegia tectorum
Handsome, fast-growing species with striated stems and a distinctive flared form. It is traditionally used as a thatching reed in South Africa. Particularly suitable for pots and windy sites. Hardy to about -7°C. 1.5m x 1m. AGM. RHS H2.
Elegia deusta
Rare in cultivation, this is one of the smaller species. The slender, bright-green stems are clasped by neat brown bracts and topped with small, neat copper and bronze flowers. Hardy to -8°C. 30-35cm x 15-20cm.
Elegia cuspidata
Sturdy upright foliage is topped by dense flowerheads surrounded by coppery bracts. Plants soon grow out of their youthful droopiness, and stems cut well. Hardy to -8°C. 60-75cm x 40-50cm.
Elegia mucronata
Upright, green-banded stems are topped with large flowerheads, creating a millet-seed effect that is interleaved with striking papery blonde bracts. Hardy to -8°C. 1.5m x 90cm.
Restio subverticillatus
Robust, upright stems are tufted with feathery foliage and topped with small, greenish-yellow flowers, which develop into shiny brown nutlets, or seedpods. Great for cutting. Hardy to -8°C. 1.5m x 1m. AGM. RHS H2.
Cannomois grandis
Fairly unusual in cultivation, this is a vigorous species with striped stems, dramatic flower spikes and feathery, finely divided foliage. Common in the fynbos of South Africa, the clumps can be substantial. Hardy to -6°C. 2-3m x 2m. AGM. RHS H4.
Rhodocoma capensis
Reed-like and elegant, small branches at the nodes give the plant an appealing feathery appearance, and it is particularly suitable for cutting. Grow in sun or light shade. Hardy to about -8 to -10°C. 1.5m x 1m. AGM. RHS H4.
*Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
†Hardiness ratings given where available.