African Cape reed is a particular type of straw used, among others, in the manufacture of Thatched roofs.
Taken from the Thamnochortus insignis, it is mostly used in the construction of pergolas, parasols and thatched roof.
Plants are tall, grass- or reed-like tussocks with a diameter of 500 mm to 1 metre at the base and a spread of 3 metres or more at the top and up to 2,5 m tall. Male and female plants are separate and very similar when they are not flowering.
Thamnochortus insignis grows in dense stands in the southern Cape around Albertinia. It can now be found along the roadsides from Port Elizabeth to the Cedarberg, where the seed has been distributed by the trucks carrying the thatching material
The main feature is especially its durability, which can exceed fifty years. Moreover, this material is fire resistant, impermeable and thermally insulating, being able to ensure warm in winter and cool in summer. In the end, the African reed brings an exotic and rustic touch to the environment.
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