About

A tall deciduous grass with long, narrow, purple-tinged leaves and pinkish, silky flower sprays in late summer, soon becoming silvery and turning to fawn in autumn and winter.

About the genus

Miscanthus can be deciduous or evergreen grasses with tufted or spreading habit, erect stems bearing arching, linear leaves and terminal panicles of silky spikelets in late summer or autumn

Growing conditions

SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6

Plant details

Plant typeGrass Like
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Architectural, City and courtyard gardens, Coastal

Care notes

CultivationGrow in any moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Protect from excessive winter wet
PruningRemove dead foliage and old flowered stems in spring
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring. Can be slow to establish
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free