The grasses bring welcome colour and texture to the winter garden, and in the Mediterranean Beds Ampelodesmus mauritanicus provides late interest.
Ampelodesmus mauritanicus, or the Mauritanian vine reed, is a robust grass which occurs in Mediterranean Europe, and north west Africa. It enjoys well-drained soils in full sun, and will produce dense tussocks of linear leaves. The inflorescences are erect, one-sided panicles bearing clusters of pendent branches with purplish green spikelets. As the season progresses the flowering stems fade to a take on a straw colour. Having robust flower stems it will persist throughout the winter, and will really come to the fore when lit by low winter sun.