Baloskion tetraphyllum
tassel cord-rush
Overview
Baloskion tetraphyllum is an evergreen, clumping rush-like perennial in the cord-rush family, forming upright tufts 2-5 feet (0.6-1.5 m) tall and 2-3 feet (0.6-1 m) wide. The stems are slender and green, carrying whorls of soft, thread-like branchlets that give the upper plant a feathery, plume-like look, brightest in new growth. Like other members of the family it spreads by short rhizomes, building dense clumps over time. Plants are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants; the small brown flower spikelets cluster near the stem tips in spring, the males more open and the females more compact. Small seed follows on female plants. Growth is moderate, and clumps reach full size in three to four years. It grows in permanently or seasonally wet ground and browns at the tips during drought or hard frost.
Native Range
Native to eastern Australia, from Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria to Tasmania. It grows in swamps, bogs, wet heath, and along stream and pond margins on peaty or sandy soils that stay moist.Suggested Uses
Used around ponds, in bog gardens, rain gardens, and damp borders, spaced 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) apart. Suits containers and water features where the soil stays wet. The feathery stems are also cut for use in floral arrangements.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2' - 5'
Width/Spread2' - 3'
Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years
Bloom Information
Brown flower spikelets appear in spring (September to November) near the stem tips. The flowers are small and wind-pollinated, opening over several weeks. Seed ripens on female plants through summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade in permanently moist to wet soils, including pond margins and boggy ground where it tolerates shallow standing water. It also grows in ordinary garden beds if watered regularly and will brown at the tips if allowed to dry out. Acid, peaty, or sandy soils suit it, and it does poorly in dry, alkaline conditions. Clumps spread slowly by rhizome and can be divided in spring to make new plants. No routine feeding is needed in moisture-retentive ground. Few pests affect it, though clumps thin out in deep shade.Pruning
Old or frost-burnt stems can be cut back near the base in late winter to make way for fresh growth. Clumps tolerate cutting to ground level, from which they reshoot in spring. Dividing congested clumps every few years keeps growth dense.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons