Chinese Silver Grass 25 Seeds – Miscanthus

Miscanthus sinensis is the premier ornamental grass–a garden favorite for centuries. There are literally hundreds of cultivars differing in blade size, shape, and color pattern; plant height and texture; summer, autumn and winter foliage colors; flower timing and color; and cold hardiness. What they have in common are a clump forming habit (never forming turf), in which the leaves grow up and then cascade out and down like a fountain; foliage that turns various shades of gold or bronze in autumn and holds up well throughout the winter; erect flowers that shine in the summer sun, then turn soft and fluffy in winter, and persist beautifully in dried arrangements; and a preference for sunny positions in the landscape. The wild form is a large bunch grass, growing up to 12 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with leaf blades almost 1 inch across. The leaves are medium green with a prominent white midrib and dry to straw yellow in winter. The dense inflorescence, produced in late summer, is reddish purple, aging to silvery. Chinese Silver Grass has large feathery plumes of silver flowers that are held way above the 5 foot (1.5 m) mound of cascading green foliage. Even the flower stalks, which can get 7 feet (2.1 m) tall, will fall over, but they still look good. This is one of the most cold-hardy cultivars, and it will flower even in zone 4.The original Miscanthus sinensis, from which the many horticultural selections have been made, still grows wild in eastern China, Korea, Japan, the Ryukus, and Taiwan. Old foliage should be cut back to the ground at the end of winter before new growth starts. Most of the Miscanthus sinensis cultivars do best in full sun. They can survive partial shade, but they tend to get thin and lanky, and then flop over. Most of the cultivars are actually quite drought tolerant, but all perform best with regular watering. Some can grow at poolside with their feet in the water. Hardy Zones 4-9.