Isolepis cernua
fiber optic plant (syn Scirpus cernuus )
- Position: full sun or partial shade
- Soil: moist to wet, humus-rich soil or aquatic compost
- Depth of water: 0-8cm
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: June to August
- Hardiness: fully hardy
This wonderful foliage plant creates a fibre-optic effect, particularly when its slender tips are topped with small silvery white flower heads. It's primarily grown as an architectural specimen around the margins of a pond, where its submerged shoots can also help to oxygenate the water, but it's also excellent in a bog garden. It could even be kept in a pot - provided you make sure it's kept really well watered. - Garden care: For best results, grow Isolepis cernua in full sun or partial shade, as a marginal in a pond or in a bog garden. Tidy up in autumn, but don't cut the foliage back completely.