Chinese miscanthus(Miscanthus sinensis) is the most commonly cultivated miscanthus grass species in gardens, valued mainly for its spectacular inflorescences. Gardeners can choose from very interestingChinese Miscanthusvarieties that differ in leaf color, flowering date and height. Take a look atgrowing miscanthus chineseand choose the best varieties of this wonderful grass for your garden!
Chinese miscanthus - Miscanthus sinensis
Fig. Daderot, Public Domain, source: Wikimedia Commons
Chinese miscanthus - varieties
The selectionof Miscanthus Chineseis very large. We can choose from plants of different habit, strength of growth and expansiveness. If we plant several miscanthus in the garden, it is worth choosing varieties with different flowering dates. The latest ones will be a perfect winter garden decoration. Below I present10 most interesting varieties of Chinese Miscanthus , often found in Polish gardens.
Chinese Miscanthus Apache- one of the smallest miscanthus, growing only up to about 50 cm in height. It grows in clumps and does not create runners. Sharp, crosswise striped leaves are yellowish in color and stand out against the light green mass of leaves. The lower leaves are slightly overhanging, while the upper ones stick up stiffly. Unfortunately, it rarely blooms in our climate for too short a growing season. Perfect for compositions with low sedges.
Chinese miscanthus 'Apache'
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Chinese Miscanthus Cosmopolitan- a vigorously growing variety of Miscanthus with an erect, arched habit, forming dense clumps. Colorful blades and eye-catching inflorescences are valuable advantages of this grass. Loose, copper-colored flower panicles with silver highlights appear high above the leaves from September to October. Leaves 3-5 cm wide, with a wide, creamy-white border and sometimes also narrow white stripes in the center. After drying, they turn yellow or brownish. Clump height up to 2 m, with an inflorescence of about 2.5 m. The variety is ideal for large gardens, exposed places on the lawn, planting in groups among trees or singly on the edges of perennial beds. It looks particularly good against the background of building walls and near water reservoirs.
Chinese miscanthus David- a variety with columnar habit, growing up to 2 m tall (with inflorescences up to 2.4 m).Leaves 2 to 3 cm wide, with a distinct white stripe running along the leaf, shiny on the outside. Flowering can start as early as August and lasts until autumn. The inflorescences turn reddish in color and become pinkish as they fade. Perfect for perennial and grass beds.
Chinese miscanthus 'Dawid'
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Chinese miscanthus Gold Bar- another small miscanthus, growing up to about 50-60 cm, and with inflorescences up to about 1 meter. It grows densely, forming small and not high clumps. Fan-shaped habit. Light yellow stripes on the leaves that appear very densely on the leaves. Rigid, rather thin leaves. Flowers appear from October. The plant requires light winter cover. This miscanthus variety is suitable both for planting in pots on the terrace, for small gardens, and for planting with ornamental grasses and perennials in larger compositions.
Chinese miscanthus 'Gold Bar'
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Chinese miscanthus Gracillimus- a very popular variety of miscanthus, growing up to about 2 m with panicles. The leaves are thin, green, with a thin white stripe in the center, rough to the touch. The flowers are brown-red in color. They clearly rise above the leaves and move beautifully in the wind. It blooms in October and November.
Chinese miscanthus 'Gracillimus'
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Chinese miscanthus Morning Light- grass with an erect habit, growing up to 2 m in height. The leaves are very narrow with a thin white stripe. The color of the plant resembles silver from a distance. It blooms from September to October. The inflorescences take a brown-silvery color. We can successfully use them for dry bouquets and autumn compositions.This variety of Chinese miscanthus can be planted near water reservoirs, in perennial beds and in the company of conifers.
Chinese miscanthus 'Morning Light'
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Miscanthus sinensis Rotsilber- a variety that forms clumps 1.2 m high (up to 2 m with inflorescences). It is valued for its attractive, copper color of leaves in autumn. The flowers, which appear in early September, are gathered in sumptuous, initially red and later silvery, erect panicles, set high above the leaves. Inflorescences tend to hang. Chinese Miscanthus variety recommended for planting in large flower beds, in water gardens, in special gardens intended for ornamental grasses, in naturalistic assumptions - individually or several in a group. Suitable for dry bouquets.
Chinese miscanthus Red Chief- is one of the lower varieties of Chinese miscanthus, reaching 60-80 cm in height (up to 110 cm during flowering).It creates dense spherical clumps of leaves three-quarters of their height. The leaves are green and very narrow. In autumn they turn red and orange. Thanks to this, miscanthus 'Red Chief' looks very effective in the fall. In late summer, dark pink inflorescences appear on the plant, which, after drying, remain on the plant until spring.
Chinese miscanthus Silberfeder- medium cultivar, up to 150 cm tall. Equilibrium leaves, 2 cm wide, green with a distinct white main vein. The flowers, gathered in silvery-white, fluffy panicles, can be admired from August until winter. May require supports during flowering.
Chinese miscanthus 'Variegatus'
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Chinese miscanthus Variegatus- a variety with slightly overhanging leaves and stripes. It reaches a height of 1.5 to 2 m. Large clumps of this miscanthus resemble reed brain from a distance.The plant blooms from August to October, and the inflorescences turn silver over time. This variety of Chinese miscanthus is perfect for compositions with autumn perennials, such as bush asters or sedum plants. It will also make a nice touch on the moor.
Chinese miscanthus Zebrinus- one of the most sought after varieties of Chinese miscanthus. It fascinates with its compact, upright habit, impressive inflorescences and colorful stalks. Pinkish purple flower panicles appear from September to October and last until winter. The inflorescences are about 40 cm long, with shoots growing up to a height of 220 cm. Shoots that are not too stiff, raised or arched in very fertile soil may require supports. Green and olive leaves have golden yellow transverse stripes which are a special decoration of this plant throughout the growing season. A variety awarded with the British AGM award for special garden qualities.
Chinese miscanthus 'Zebrinus'
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Chinese miscanthus - cultivation
Chinese miscanthus is a popular ornamental grassused as a bedding background (higher varieties), planted as solitaire on the lawn, above the ponds. You can create lines from it, use it in bedding compositions and on moors.Truncated shoots of Miscanthus Chinesewith inflorescences are great for dry bouquets, and left in the garden, they are an attractive winter decoration for a bed.
Good to knowDelicate leaves and airy inflorescences of the Chinese Miscanthus bring lightness and a sense of harmony to the garden. Swept by the wind, they add dynamics to the compositions.
Chinese miscanthus - growing position
The miscanthus growing siteshould be sunny or semi-shaded. In greater shade, the grass shoots will stretch out, become limp and will lie down.Some varieties of miscanthus even in a sunny position require supports during flowering.
It is also recommended thatthe growing stand of miscanthus should be quietand sheltered from winds. Thanks to this, we will avoid damaging the tall miscanthus shoots by the wind, and the whole plant will winter much better.
Growing miscanthus is bestin fertile and constantly moist (but not wet) soils. Recommended soil pH is slightly acidic to neutral.
Chinese miscanthus - watering
Chinese miscanthus requires constantly slightly moist soil and regular irrigation. Watering is especially important after planting new plants (if there is no rainfall, water the grass stalks every 2-3 days for the first 2 weeks), every spring when the grasses begin to grow intensively, and in summer during periods of drought. Miscanthus require regular irrigation during the first 3 years of cultivation after planting.When the root balls are sufficiently large, the plants will withstand periods of drought a little better.For the soil to retain moisture better, it is advisable to mix it with organic fertilizers, e.g. compost. It is also helpful to mulch the soil immediately after planting the plant.
Chinese miscanthus 'Silberfeder'
Fig. depositphotos.com
Chinese miscanthus - fertilization
Chinese miscanthus requires fertilizationcompost (we use in spring or autumn) and granulated mineral fertilizer of universal use.
Regular granulated fertilizer is used divided into several doses from spring (first fertilization at the end of March or beginning of April) to the end of July. The fertilizer is spread evenly around the plant and watered abundantly so that the granules start to dissolve.You can also use a slow-acting mineral fertilizer, such as Osmocote universal fertilizer, which is enough to apply one time in spring (it dissolves slowly, fertilizing the plant for 6 months).Dosing of fertilizers in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions given on the label.
Chinese miscanthus - planting
Planting miscanthusis best done in spring, although the largest selection of seedlings is in garden stores in late summer and autumn, when these plants bloom effectively. Before planting, the soil should be properly prepared - it should be cleaned of weeds, dug and loosened, if it is too compacted, and the hole dug for a new Miscanthus seedling should be seasoned with compost.
It is also advisable to mix the soil with a hydrogel, whichwill help maintain constant soil moistureAn excellent product containing a hydrogel is TerraCottem, which also contains volcanic rock crumbs, ensuring the maintenance of the correct soil structure and a starting dose of fertilizers (if you use TarreCottem when planting in spring, then in the first year of growing the plant you do not need to additionally fertilize).
Water miscanthusuntil well rooted. Plants will be graceful and frost-resistant within 2-3 years of cultivation.
Chinese miscanthus - wintering
Chinese miscanthus winter quite well in Polandas long as they have a quiet and wind-protected position. The species, as well as most varieties of Chinese Miscanthus, belongs to the frost hardiness zone of plants 6.
In winter, first of all, young Miscanthus specimens should be protected against frost (we protect the plants in the first and second year of cultivation).The shoots are best left and tied with a string , which protects the inside of the plant and the roots.
In the spring, untie the grass and cut the dry shoots to a height of 20 cm.Spring pruning of miscanthusmust be done before new shoots start to grow, usually in March / April. After trimming the grass shoots, it is a perfect time to apply the first dose of fertilizer to support the growth of new leaves and shoots.
Chinese miscanthus - reproduction
In early spring, you can also carry outreproducing miscanthus by dividing the clumpFor this purpose, insert a sharp spade into the center of the clump and dig out the separated part of the plant. You can also dig up the entire plant and divide it with a knife. It is best to divide young specimens, as the division of older plants requires a lot of force.
On the occasion ofdividing a clump of Chinese miscanthusit is worth removing dead or diseased roots. We throw out all the dead parts from the center of the clump. Remember also not to stick a spade or knife from the top of the clump, but from the side.
The newly obtainedChinese Miscanthusseedlings are placed in a previously prepared place in fertile soil and watered abundantly. An old place where Miscanthus grew can be very barren. If the grass is to be planted in the same place again, you need to fertilize the planting well with compost. In a few weeks the grasses will turn green and magnificent.
Eng. landscape architect Piotr Moliński
