Miscanthus

Miscanthus is one of the most prized of ornamental grasses, and one particular cultivar, 'Morning Light', sums up much of its appeal: This grass is stunning when backlit by the sun, either rising or setting.

Statuesque miscanthus makes dense clumps of arching grassy foliage in an assortment of widths, decoration, and fineness, according to variety. Erect, dramatic plumes of flower spikelets rise among the leaves or well above them and last beautifully through the winter. Site miscanthus with good drainage and plenty of space in sun or light shade.

Light:

Sun,Part Sun

Zones:

4-9

Plant Type:

Perennial

Plant Height:

2-9 feet tall

Plant Width:

2-5 feet wide

Bloom Time:

Blooms summer and fall, depending on variety

Landscape Uses:

Containers,Beds & Borders,Privacy,Slopes,Groundcover

Special Features:

Flowers,Attractive Foliage,Fall Color,Winter Interest,Cut Flowers,Dried Flowers,Attracts Birds,Drought Tolerant,Deer Resistant,Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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'Morning Light' miscanthus

Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' makes dense, silvery 4-foot clumps of fine-textured arching leaves edged with white. Its reddish-pink plumes of flowers mature to tan. Zones 6-9
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Purple miscanthus

Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens is a compact 4-foot cultivar with reddish summer foliage that turns vibrant purple-red come fall. Its plumes of flowers bleach white in the sun. Zones 6-9
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Zebragrass

Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' is one of the zebra-stripe varieties with horizontal yellow banding on the leaves. Zones 6-9
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Garden Plans

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Fall Deckside Garden Plan
Country-Style Fall-Garden Plan
Garden Design for a Deck
Garden Plan for Attracting Birds and Butterflies
Garden Plan to Soften a Fence
Corner of Grasses
Hot-Summer Garden Plan
Mailbox Garden
Bird-Friendly Garden
Drought-Tolerant Garden Plan
Fall Color Garden Plan
Fall Favorites Garden Plan

Plant It With

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Hibiscus

Silky, open hibiscus flowers show off well against miscanthus in late summer and fall. They enjoy similar conditions.

Sunflower, perennial

Lemon Queen sunflower has masses of pale yellow flowers in fall and highlights the attractive foliage of miscanthus.

Meadowsweet

Tall, summer-blooming queen-of-the-prairie displays cotton-candy puffs of blooms that look great with miscanthus.

Dahlia

Red, yellow, or orange dahlias, especially those with dark foliage, make fine companions for miscanthus in sunny borders.

Propagation

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Seed
Division