Molinia 'Moorflamme'
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Molinia 'Moorflamme': Small Clump, Big Orange-Red Finale
'Moorflamme' is a tidy little grass that keeps its cool all summer, then lights up orange-red in fall like it finally heard the gossip. Dark purple spikelets dance above the clump. SLOW BURN, BIG FINISH.
Plant Characteristics:
- Botanical Name: Molinia caerulea subsp. caerulea 'Moorflamme'
- Common Name: Purple Moor Grass
- Height: About 60 cm (2 ft)
- Spread: About 60 cm (2 ft)
- Flowers: Dark purple spikelets on slender stems held above the foliage, ripening to tan
- Bloom Time: Summer to fall (July to October)
- Foliage: Narrow green blades in a dense clump, turning orange-red in fall
- Features: Clump-forming, good fall colour
Where to Plant: Its modest size suits the front or middle of a sunny border, rock gardens, or groups along a path. The see-through flower stems add movement without hiding what's behind them. It also fits naturalistic, meadow-style plantings.
Companion Plants: Echinacea pallida carries pink coneflowers at 60 to 120 cm in June and July, a natural match for this airy grass. Digitalis 'Candy Mountain' adds pink spires at 90 to 120 cm over the same weeks. Geranium 'Biokovo' fills the front with white flowers at 15 to 25 cm from May to July. This group does well in full sun or part sun.
Plant Care: Plant it in full sun to part sun in moist, well-drained soil. It prefers neutral to acidic soil and doesn't love very dry, hot spots. Water regularly, especially in the first season. Moor grass is slow to settle in and can take two or three years to reach full size, so be patient. The stems tend to collapse in late fall. Cut the clump back to the ground in early spring, before new growth starts. Divide in spring only if needed.
History: Molinia caerulea is native to the moors, heaths and damp meadows of Europe and western Asia. 'Moorflamme' is a German selection named for its fiery fall colour.
Final Thoughts: Low maintenance and clump-forming, so it stays exactly where you put it. Plant a few at the front of the border. WORTH THE WAIT.
