Restio
Restios
- Height × spread
- 2m – 2m × 1.5m – 1.5m
- Position
- Full sun
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
The Restios are part of the Fynbos community of plants in South Africa, and have a curious, unfamiliar beauty. They are not really hardy enough to over winter out of doors in the UK, and are best grown in containers so they can be brought in for the winter. They need poor soils and good drainage. In habit they have reedy stems with brownish flower heads.
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Fan
- Height
- 2m – 2m
- Spread
- 1.5m – 1.5m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- Acid (ericaceous)
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, most are not hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Hazards
- No
AutumnNow
Autumn · Planting
Lift before winter
Lift bulbs. tubers or rhizomes in autumn, to keep for the following year. Keep dry and in a frost-free location for the winter. Re-plant in spring.
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with sequestrol
If plants are acid loving and grown in soil with little acidity, or in a container, or are watered with limey tap water an annual feed with sequestrol (iron chelate) is highly beneficial. Follow guidelines on the packet. Will also 'blue-up' hydrangeas.
For hydrangeas that have good blue flowers in acid soil, this product can be used with alkaline soil to turn the flowers blue. This is most effective when the soil is neutral or just slightkly alkaline.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water during dry periods
For plants in the ground, when there has been little or no rain for a period of 7-10 days and the soil is dry, give it a deep watering and repeat weekly until there is a downpour of rain. Check plants in pots more frequently, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.
Winter
Winter · Outdoors
Water lightly during dormancy
The soil should be kept just moist during the plant's rest period.
Planting & general
Compost · Planting
Loam based compost + grit for repotting
Use a free draining loam based compost rather than one which has been modified to be 'moisture retentive'.
Alternatively prepare a compost using three parts of loam (John Innes no. 2 or 3) to one part of (horticultural) sand or fine (horticultural) grit.