Elegia tectorum       3824

Elegia tectorum has an upright, symmetrical, tufted reed-like appearance with thin, dark green stems topped with dark brown flowers in slender compact spikes in autumn. It is usually about 1m tall and may reach up to 1.5m in height with a spread of up to 2-3m. Like all members of the Restio family, Elegia tectorum has male and female flowers on separate plants. The flowers are small and are borne in compound loosely branched inflorescences. Female flowers are protected by golden brown bracts. The Cape thatching reed flowers in autumn (from March to April) and flowering lasts for about 4 weeks.

They are particularly suited to low-maintenance feature planting and combine well with Proteas, Pincushions and Ericas. Use this popular ornamental as a focal point in a water garden or plant it next to a pond or stream. A large clump looks good planted amongst a few large, well-placed rocks. It is also used for making brooms and for thatching fishermen's houses along the Cape coast. Elegia tectorum, traditionally associated with the thatched roofs typical of Cape Dutch architecture, is still popular as a thatching grass today.

References
- Grow restios, edn 2. A guide to the propagation and cultivation of South African restios. Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town., Jamieson, H and Botha, PA and others. 2004. Address
- Indigenous Plants A South Africa Guide, Pitta Joffe & Tinus Oberholzer. 2012 pag. 351. ISBN
- PlantZafrica, Hanneke Jamieson. Kirstenbosch NBG 2001. Elegia tectorum
- Restios of the fynbos, Els Dorrat-Haaksma & H. Peter Linder. 2012 pag. 62-63,68-69. ISBN

- A generic classification of the Restioneae (Restionaceae), southern Africa, Linder, HP and Hardy, CR. Bothalia 2010 Vol. 40(1) pag. 1-35. Address
- Enumeratio plantarum omnium hucusque cognitarum : secundum familias naturales disposita, adjectis characteribus, differentiis et synonymis, Kunth, Karl Sigismund,. 1843. Address
- Flora capensis :being a systematic description of the plants of the Cape colony, Caffraria, & Port Natal (and neighbouring territories), Harvey, William H. (William Henry), and Sonder, Otto Wilhelm, and Thiselton-Dyer, William T. (William Turner),. 1909. Address
- Input data, analytical methods and biogeography of Elegia (Restionaceae), Moline, PM and Linder, Hans Peter. Journal of Biogeography 2006 Vol. 33(1) pag. 47-62. Address
- Molecular phylogeny and generic delimitation in the Elegia Group (Restionaceae, South Africa) based on a complete taxon sampling and four chloroplast DNA regions, Moline, Philip and Linder, Peter. Systematic Botany 2005 Vol. 30 pag. 759-772. DOI
- Restios of the fynbos, Els Dorrat-Haaksma & H. Peter Linder. 2012. ISBN
- The journal of the Linnean Society Botany, Linnean Society of London. Address
- Traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Elegia species: A Review, Lymperis, Panagiotis and Tomou, Ekaterina-Michaela and De Canha, Marco Nuno and Lall, Namrita and Skaltsa, Helen. Scientia Pharmaceutica 2022 Vol. 90(1) pag. 4. Address
- Grow restios, edn 2. A guide to the propagation and cultivation of South African restios. Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town., Jamieson, H and Botha, PA and others. 2004. Address
- Climate Change Impacts on Hydrological Niches of Restionaceae Species in Jonkershoek, South Africa, Guo, Danni and Midgley, Guy and Araya, Yoseph and Silvertown, Jonathan and Musil, Charles. Journal of Water Resource and Hydraulic Engineering 2016 Vol. 5 pag. 20-28. DOI

Biological type: grass
Frost resistance: 19ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: brown

Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 4,9ft x 3,2ft
Plant with a spacing of: 2,9ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h
Foliage: evergreen
Growth: fast
Flowering time from June until September

Specifications for the Atlantic coast
Adult size (h x w): 4,9ft x 3,2ft
Plant with a spacing of: 2,9ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h
Foliage: evergreen
Growth: fast
Flowering time from June until September

Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: Aquatic substrate
Plant watering: 1x a day pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Grasses; forestry plate 8cm, forest pot 3L, container 6L
Propagation is done by root division
Units in the garden: 42x

Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 400-800mm
Sandy soil: much

AUTUMN Soak the seeds in warm water of 140°F for 24h with a SmokeDisk. Sow the seeds at 4mm depth in the Well Drained Seed Sowing Mix between 64-72°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and in daylight. The seeds germinate in 3-6 weeks.

Germination references
- Grow restios, edn 2. A guide to the propagation and cultivation of South African restios. Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town., Jamieson, H and Botha, PA and others. 2004. Address
- Patterns in the seed germination response to smoke in plants from the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa, N.A.C. Brown, J. van Staden, M.I. Daws, T. Johnson. South African Journal of Botany 2003 Vol. 69(4) pag. 514-525. DOI
- PlantZafrica, Hanneke Jamieson. Kirstenbosch NBG 2001. Elegia tectorum
- Smoke seed germination studies and a guide to seed propagation of plants from the major families of the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa, N.A.C. Brown, P.A. Botha, J. van Staden. South African Journal of Botany 2004 Vol. 70(4) pag. 559-581. DOI

Germination references for the genus
- Grow restios, edn 2. A guide to the propagation and cultivation of South African restios. Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town., Jamieson, H and Botha, PA and others. 2004. Address