Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00000959
11/12/99
Miscanthus sinensis--Japanese Silver Grass
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Height: 7 ft Spread: 2 ft
Type: herbaceous perennial
Flowers: Pink, red
Comments: Japanese Silver Grass is a tall grass that will
form clumps that spread slowly. The leaves are upright at
the base and arching at the tip and provide an attractive
arching effect. The pink flowers are produced in late
summer. These can be used for drying or as a dye plant.
The plant will adapt to many soil types but does prefer
full sun. The foliage turns brown in winter but the
flowers remain effective and add interest to the winter
landscape. In shaded conditions, or a fertile soil,
staking may be necessary.
Propagation: Propagate by division.
Cultivars:
'Adagio' - The foliage is silvery-gray and the flowers
pink to yellow on plants 2 feet tall.
'Arabesque' - Compact growth habit (Vis. 11).
'Cabaret' - Plants 5 feet tall produce reddish-pink
flowers and leaves that have a white stripe down the
center.
var. condensatus - The flowers are tinted purple.
'Cosmopolitan' - Plants 4 feet tall have reddish-pink
flowers and leaves that have a white stripe down the
center (Vis. 1).
'Gracillimus' - Creamy white flowers (Vis. 2).
'Graziella' - Showy, silver-white flowers are produced
early, slender foliage, plants to 6 feet (Vis. 3) tall.
'Grosse Fontaene' - A large plant that flowers early.
'Malepartus' - Pinkish flowers are produced in early
August. Foliage has a mahogany fall color.
'Morning Light' - This cultivar produces fine blades with
green and white stripes.
'Nippon' - A compact form only 4 feet tall. The flowers
are dark red and produced in early summer.
'November Sunset' - Yellow to orange fall color.
'Puenktchen' - Plants 3 feet tall have foliage of finer
texture.
var. purpurascens - Plants are only 3 to 4 feet tall.
The foliage turns reddish in the fall (Vis. 4).
'Rotsilber' - The flowers are red and the foliage is
silvery.
'Sarabande' - Silvery foliage (Vis. 12).
'Silberfeder' ('Silver Feather') - White flowers are
produced earlier than those of other cultivars.
Plants to 8 feet tall. The leaves are striped with
white (Vis. 5).
'Sirene' - These 6-foot plants produce golden flowers
that change to mahogany as they age.
'Strictus' - An upright habit is combined with leaves
that have yellow horizontal stripes. Plants to 6
feet tall.
'Undine' - Silvery flowers, good fall color.
'Variegatus' - Green leaves have white stripes, plants
6 feet tall (Vis. 6).
'Yaku Jima' - Plants 3 to 4 feet tall produce copper
colored plumes mature to silver.
'Zebrinus' - Leaves banded with yellow. The (Vis. 8),
flowers are pinkish, plants to 8 feet tall (Vis. 7).
References for Cultivars: Walters Gardens 1999, White Flower
Farm 1999, Lake County Nursery 1999, Bailey Nurseries 1999,
Wayside Gardens 1999, Ray Wiegand's Nursery 1999, Studebaker
Nurseries 1999, Weston Nurseries 1999, Sheridan Nurseries
1999, Berryhill Nurseries 1999, Scarff's Nursery 1999, Gee
Farms 1999, Midwest Groundcovers 1999, Willoway Nurseries
1999.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base ZZ on 01/19/00.
Data base ZZ was last revised on 11/12/99.
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