Pied calamus is a striking marsh plant With ornamental yellow-green leaves. This plant is a variegated variant of common calamus and is valued for its purifying effect and decorative appearance. Thanks to its height and colour, variegated calamus provides structure and colour at the pond edge or in shallow water.
The leaves of Bonte calamus are long, sword-shaped and striped with bright yellow markings over the green base. These upright leaves can grow to about a metre tall and give the plant a stately appearance. In the summer months, inconspicuous, greenish blooms appear among the leaves, measuring six to eight centimetres in length.
Pied calamus grows best in full sun to semi-shade. The plant likes moist soil and feels at home in swampy soil, pond soil or loamy soil. Both at the pond edge and in a plant basket in shallow water, this plant can develop well. Suitable zones for planting are both the wet bank zone and the transition to deeper water.
This plant is very suitable for planting in natural or ecological ponds. Its height and shape allow it to serve well as a transition between water and riparian planting. Pied calamus looks best when planted in groups. For optimal effect, four plants per five hundred litres of water is recommended. When applied next to the pond, nine plants per square metre is a good starting point. Calculate here how many oxygen plants you put in the pond need.
Pied calamus actively contributes to a healthy pond environment. The plant helps remove phosphates from the water, which limits algae growth. This makes the water clearer and creates a better biological balance. In addition, variegated calamus has a slightly aromatic fragrance that is attractive to insects such as bees.
The plant is hardy to temperatures well below freezing and needs little care. During winter, the above-ground parts may turn brown. Cutting these back in spring gives the plant room to sprout again. Planted in solid soil or baskets, variegated calamus requires little maintenance during the season.
No, this plant is not considered edible and is intended as an ornamental and filter plant.
Pied calamus forms rhizomes that can expand, but does not proliferate as much as some other marsh plants.
If planted sufficiently, after a few weeks to months, variegated calamus visibly helps reduce algal blooms, especially when there is excess phosphate in the water.
Spotted Calamus can be ordered through our sales partner Vijvermeester.nl.
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