Arundo donax 'Peppermint Stick'

'Peppermint Stick' giant reed grass is a cultivar in the Poaceae (grass) family. It is native to a wide range from Saudi Arabia across China and Japan to Malaysia. Peppermint Stick can grow 10 to 20 feet tall and spreads up to 10 ft. The variegated leaves of this cultivar maintain their color during the growing season. The large purplish-brown plumes appear in late summer and look nice swaying in the breeze. This cultivar appears to be sterile and generally doesn't set seed.

This grass requires a large area to grow in and can be used as a focal or specimen plant, often in botanical garden type settings. It is happiest in rich, damp soil, but will tolerate almost any conditions you give it. Cut it to the ground in winter and divide as needed to control the size of the clump.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The species is listed on various government invasive weed lists in Canada and the USA, where it outcompetes other plants for limited water resources. 

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.