Description
Glyceria – Manna Grass –
There are about 16 species of vigorous, marsh or marginal, aquatic, perennial grasses, in this genus. They occur in North Temperate regions, but also found in Australia, New Zealand, and South America. Occurring naturally in water to 30″ deep, they are dense and spreading plants through creeping rootstocks with flat, juicy leaf blades. They bears greenish flowers and seed heads that are carried in narrow panicles, generally not rising above the foliage. Use as a cover for a large pool.
Grow in water or at the edge of a pond in water no deeper than 6″ deep in full sun, grow in a basket to restrict spread. Alternatively, grow in any garden soil that is reliably moist in full sun. Confine to a container to restrict vigorous growth. Divide in spring.
Prone to ergot, choke, rust, smut, and fungal leaf spot.
G. maxima ‘Variegata’ – G. aquatica ‘Variegata’ – Poa aquatica – Reed Sweet Grass – Reed Meadow Grass – This aquatic, rhizomatous perennial grass from temperate Eurasia grows 32-36″ tall with an indefinite spread. It produces narrowly arching, strap shaped, keeled, leaves are usually cream, green and white striped sometimes flushed pink when young, 12-24″ long and 3/4″ wide, flushed pink as they emerge. In mid and late summer it bears panicles of green to purplish green spikelets, to 18″ long.
Zones 4-9
