At the beginning of the flowering period in March or April, cotton grass does not yet live up to its name. Only as growth progresses do the fragrant, white flower heads appear. In fact, these are fruit decorations that guarantee long-lasting decorative value. Read why this is so here.
When does cotton grass bloom?
The cottongrass flowering begins in March/April with white spikelets, followed by the growth of silky white sheath threads in May/June, which form the characteristic woolly heads. Fruit ripening and seed dispersal occur in June and possibly again in September.
Flowers are just floral prelude
When cotton grass begins to bloom in March/April, white, inconspicuous spikelets with a length of 1.5 to 2.5 cm thrive. The characteristic appearance that gives the ornamental grass its name is nowhere to be seen. That changes over the course of May and June. Now countless, silky white filaments sprout from the perianths. These reach a length of up to 5 cm and form the characteristic heads of wool.
The wool hairs remain on the seed heads until the fruit ripens in June and act as flying machines to ensure that the seeds are spread over a wide area. If the weather conditions are favorable, the spectacle is repeated in September.
