In short
- Forms tall clumps (1–2.5 m) – an impressive structural grass.
- Needs full sun; drought-tolerant once established.
- Feathery flower plumes appear in late summer.
- Dry stems adorn the garden in winter – cut back only in spring.
- Undemanding and long-lived.
- Starts into growth late, usually not until May – a bare clump in spring does not mean it has been killed by frost.
- Divide the clump in spring every 4–6 years, once its centre begins to die out.
- Early cultivars (Malepartus, Kleine Fontäne) flower more reliably in cool summers than late ones (Gracillimus).
Botanical data
- Family
- Poaceae (Poaceae)
- Height
- 1–2.5 m
- Width
- 0.6–1.2 m
- Habit
- Clump-forming
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Position
- Full sun
- Soil
- Loamy, Humus-rich, Sandy
- pH reaction
- pH 5.5–7.5
- Moisture
- Moderate, Moist
- Bloom
- August–October
- Hardiness
- USDA 4a–9a
- Propagation
- By division
Characteristics
A clump-forming grass with narrow, arching leaves, often with a lighter midrib or cross-banding. In late summer it produces feathery, silvery-pink plumes on tall stems. The clump is dense and non-running – Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) expands outward at its edges and sends out no underground rhizomes, so the clump itself does not wander through the border, unlike Amur silver grass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus). It can, however, spread from seed: where the season is long enough for the seed to ripen, the plant may self-sow – which is why it is regarded as an invasive species in some US states. The leaves are 0.6–2 cm wide with a distinct, lighter midrib, and their margins are sharply serrated, so it is better to wear gloves when cutting back and combing out the dry stems. The inflorescence is a fan-shaped panicle made up of numerous finger-like spreading racemes (side branches): when fresh it may be reddish-brown or pink, in time fading to silver, and in that form it persists right through to spring. In autumn the leaves turn – depending on the cultivar – yellow, orange, or reddish-brown. This is a warm-season grass with C4 photosynthesis: it starts into growth late, usually not until May, once the soil has warmed, and then puts on height rapidly until the end of summer; a bare clump in April does not mean the plant has been killed by frost. It usually reaches its final height in the second or third season after planting. It needs full sun – in partial shade the stems elongate and the clump splays outward. It tolerates soils from slightly acidic to neutral, from sandy to clay; the only thing it reacts badly to is water standing around the clump in winter. After a few years the centre of the clump dies out and the plant needs dividing.
Popular cultivars
- ‘Malepartus’
- One of the most reliably flowering cultivars in the Polish climate. It reaches 1.8–2 m and opens its plumes as early as August – at first dark reddish-brown, later silvery. In autumn the leaves turn orange-red.
- ‘Kleine Fontäne’
- A shorter cultivar, about 1.4–1.6 m, with arching, cascading leaves that form a fountain shape. It flowers early and abundantly, over many weeks – a good choice for smaller gardens and perennial borders.
- ‘Gracillimus’
- A classic cultivar with very narrow leaves and a light, delicate texture, about 1.5–1.8 m tall. It flowers late and in cool summers the plumes sometimes fail to open at all – it is planted mainly for its foliage.
- ‘Zebrinus’
- A cultivar with horizontal, creamy-yellow bands across the leaves – a pattern rare among grasses. It reaches 1.8–2 m, but the clump splays outward easily; it needs full sun and rather poor soil, and sometimes support.
- ‘Strictus’
- Also cross-banded, but with stiff, upright stems and a narrower clump than Zebrinus – a better choice where the grass has to hold itself vertical. It grows to about 1.8–2 m.
- ‘Ferner Osten’
- A compact cultivar of about 1.2–1.5 m, with narrow leaves. It opens its plumes early, intensely red, fading to silver over time; in autumn the foliage turns red-orange.
Growing and care
Watering
Drought-tolerant once established; watering is mainly needed in the first season and during prolonged drought.
Fertilizing
Undemanding – excess nitrogen causes the stems to lodge.
Planting
Tolerates various soils; grows best in fertile, moderately moist soil in full sun.
Pruning
Cut last year's dried stems down close to the ground before new shoots appear.
Companion plants
Good companions
Similar requirements – sun, moderate moisture; the autumn display of grasses and stonecrop complements each other beautifully.
A classic naturalistic-garden (prairie-style) pairing – grasses form a backdrop for flowering perennials.
Bad companions
The spreading, tall clump of Miscanthus quickly shades out and crowds low-growing plants planted right next to it.
The evidence level indicates whether the relationship is backed by research, observation, or gardening tradition.
Toxicity
| For whom | Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Humans | None | — |
| Dogs | None | — |
| Cats | None | — |
History and origin
Chinese silver grass gained popularity with the rise of naturalistic gardens and the prairie style (New Perennial Movement) at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, promoted among others by the designer Piet Oudolf. In the wild it grows in East Asia – in China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan – on open slopes, roadsides, and abandoned fields. In Japan, where it is known as susuki, it has served as a useful and ceremonial plant for centuries. It reached Europe in the 19th century as a botanical curiosity and long remained a collector's plant. The breakthrough came from German nurseries: Karl Foerster brought ornamental grasses into the canon of the perennial garden, and in the second half of the 20th century Ernst Pagels of Leer sowed seed of the cultivar Gracillimus and selected the seedlings that flowered early and reliably in a cooler climate. Many of the cultivars available today in Polish and German nurseries descend from his selections.
Uses
For naturalistic and prairie-style gardens, as a specimen plant, in groups, and as a seasonal, unclipped screen. The flower plumes are suitable for dried arrangements. As a screen it works in practice from July to March: it reaches full height in high summer, and in winter the dry stems still block the view, but after the spring cut the spot stays empty for 3–4 months, so Miscanthus will not replace an evergreen hedge. In a row it is planted 80–120 cm apart; give a single, mature clump at least a metre of free space all round, because the arching leaves take up far more room than the base. Do not plant it right beside a path – the sharply serrated leaf margins are unpleasant to touch. Its classic partners are coneflower (Echinacea), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), showy stonecrop (Hylotelephium spectabile), Russian sage (Perovskia), autumn asters and hemp agrimony (Eupatorium), and among grasses feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora). The silvery plumes show best against a dark background – a yew hedge or a wall – and backlit by low autumn sun. It looks good at the edge of a pond (but not in the water) and on slopes. On a terrace it can be grown in a large container (from about 40 l), though the root ball freezes there faster than in the ground and needs protection. For small gardens choose the shorter cultivars, and leave the tall ones to parks and to borders viewed from a distance.
Trivia
- Miscanthus is being studied as an energy crop for biomass production thanks to its fast growth and high yield.
- In winter, the frosted, dry flower plumes of Miscanthus are among the most decorative features of the garden.
- In Japan Miscanthus is called susuki and is one of the seven herbs of autumn (aki no nanakusa); its plumes are placed in vases during the moon-viewing festival tsukimi, and its stems were used to thatch the roofs of rural houses.
- The plant grown for energy biomass is not Chinese silver grass itself but giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) – a sterile hybrid of Chinese and Amur silver grass that sets no seed and is propagated only vegetatively, by dividing the rhizomes.
Frequently asked questions
When should Chinese silver grass be cut back?
In early spring, before new shoots appear – cut last year's stems down close to the ground. In winter it's best to leave them standing, as they decorate the garden and protect the clump from frost.
Is Chinese silver grass invasive?
Most garden cultivars grow slowly and form compact clumps. Some species can self-seed in warmer climates, so it's worth choosing proven, low-seeding cultivars.
Why does my Miscanthus flop over and splay outward?
The most common cause is soil that's too fertile or excess nitrogen, which causes the stems to lodge, as well as too much shade. Miscanthus grows most compactly in full sun on moderately fertile soil.
When and how should Chinese silver grass be divided?
In spring, in April or May, once the first shoots are showing. Dividing in autumn or winter often ends with plants dying out, because Miscanthus starts into growth late and will not root before the frosts. Lever the clump out with a spade, and cut older, densely packed crowns with a sharp tool – even a saw – into fist-sized pieces with roots and shoots. Repeat every 4–6 years, once the centre of the clump dies out. If the clump splays outward while its centre stays healthy, the cause is more likely excess nitrogen or shade – see the separate question about the clump flopping over.
Why has my Chinese silver grass not flowered?
Usually the cultivar and the length of the season decide: late cultivars such as Gracillimus will not form their plumes before the frosts in a cool summer. The other causes are a plant that is still too young (full flowering usually from the second or third season), too little light, and excess nitrogen, which favours leaf growth at the expense of flowers. In cooler regions the early cultivars, for example Malepartus and Kleine Fontäne, flower more reliably.
Sources
- Plants of the World Online (POWO)Database (GBIF, POWO…)
- RHS — Miscanthus sinensisInstitution / botanical garden
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