cape rush
Elegia tectorum
RHS AGM 2012
USDA zones9 to 11
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles moderate to moist soil
Size2 to 3 feet tall3 to 4 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer
- Soil types
- Sand, loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Notes
Cape rush (Elegia tectorum) is a perennial for borders, containers, and low maintenance gardens. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 9 and warmer, down to about 20°F (-7°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full sun and average to moist, sandy or loamy soil. Deer and rabbits usually look elsewhere for a meal. It stays evergreen, tolerates drought, and reaches 24 to 36 inches tall.
Pairs well with Black Knight butterfly bush, Lemon verbena, and Flowering banana.
Native range
Africa.