Zebra Rush 'Zebrinus'

An eye-catching and highly architectural marginal plant that adds a touch of the exotic to the British pond. 'Zebrinus' is famous for its tall, cylindrical, quill-like stems that are vividly marked with horizontal bands of creamy-white and green, resembling a barcode or a zebra's stripes. Unlike many variegated plants, the banding remains distinct throughout the season. It produces small, brownish flower spikes at the tips of the stems in late summer, but these are secondary to the foliage. It is a clump-forming plant that spreads slowly via rhizomes and is best grown in a basket to prevent it from becoming too large. It thrives in water depths between 5cm and 15cm. Because it is tall and relatively slender, it provides excellent perches for dragonflies and damselflies. It is fully hardy but prefers a sheltered spot to prevent the stems from being bent by strong winds.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Heavy loam or aquatic compost.

Hardiness: H6 — down to −20°C.

Flowering: Jun, Jul, Aug.