Thursday, March 31, 2011

Maiden Grass, Deciduous Perennial Grass Of The Day

Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'
Maiden Grass, Eulalia, Silver Feather, Chinese Silver Grass, Eulalia Grass, Japanese Silver Grass

Type Perennial, grass
Hardy range 5A to 9A
Height 6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Spread 6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Growth rate Fast
Form Irregular or sprawling
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Pink
Bloom Time Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought, occasional wetness and some salt.
This plant will grow in moist to wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Variegated
Fall Color Brown, copper and orange

This plant has attractive foliage and attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes
Maiden Grass is a gracefully arching, fine-textured grass that forms dense, green clumps. Slender leaves originate in a clump, spreading out and up like a fountain. The 5 to 6-foot-tall clumps bear pink flowers in late summer and fall which can be used for drying or as a dye plant. Their pinkish or silvery 8- to 10-inch-long plumes persist into the winter. Foliage is flexible and blows easily in the wind. This shrub-like grass turns to a rich gold in the fall; the fall color lasts through the winter.
Maiden Grass is frequently used in the landscape as a specimen or screen. It is also employed in group plantings forming a nice mass of fine-textured foliage, especially near a water garden or pond. Use Japanese Silver Grass as an accent or mass planted in a large-scale landscape, such as around a commercial building to add a touch of soft elegance and texture. The slightest breeze moves the foliage allowing the landscape to `come alive'.
Maiden Grass requires a location in the landscape that receives full sun, but it is adaptable to most well-drained soils. This ornamental grass is quite drought tolerant. .
This grass requires a location in the landscape that receives full sun, but will tolerate some shade. Miscanthus sinensis is a warm season grass, transplants best in the spring and it is quite drought tolerant. Three to four year plants tend to flop over and might thin in the center of the clump. They can be divided or cut back to encourage more upright growth. Many people prefer to cut the grass back to the ground in the spring so new green growth is not mixed with last year's dried, brown foliage. Fall foliage will have yellow stripes.

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