Guide to growing garden plants - Miscanthus
Miscanthus is a genus of hardy perennial ornamental grasses that reach from 90cm to 2.7M in height.
Miscanthus are upright grasses that have flat leaves and silky inflorescences.
Some of the common names for Miscanthus include Zebra grass, Japanese silver grass, Porcupine grass, Maiden Grass, Eulalia and Amur Silver grass.
How to grow Miscanthus
When growing Miscanthus it is best to sow the seeds outdoors. Sow them on the surface about 60 to 90cm apart for small species; large Miscanthus varieties should be planted singularly. They typically take from two to nine weeks to germinate once the temperature reaches 15 degrees Centigrade. Silver grasses (Miscanthus) can grow in either sunny or lightly shaded areas that has good drainage. They have a preference for moist soil, but are able to tolerate dry spells.
Caring for Miscanthus plants
When growing Miscanthus it is important to realise that they are very large plants and require a lot of physical effort to look after. As they easily spread they should be cut back to ground level in the autumn before they have chance to set seed. Miscanthus also require to be divided about every four years in the springtime order to maintain robust growth or to obtain additional plants.