Eulalia Miscanthus sinensis

Other Common Name(s):

Other plants called Eulalia:

Phonetic Spelling

miss-KANTH-us sih-NEN-sis

This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina

Description

Maiden Grass s the most common ornamental grass having numerous cultivars and has virtually no disease or pest problems. It is a clumping grass that grows up to 12' tall. Some cultivars are considered weedy in the southeast. Heavy mulching helps prevent seed germination and can keep this plant from becoming invasive. This is an invasive weed, rising to the number one weed problem in some North Carolina counties. It is utilized for mass planting, specimen planting, screens, and dried flower arrangements. Flowers and expanding whitish-hairy seeds are showy in the fall. This plant is difficult to eradicate when introduced. Wind-disseminated seeds increase the invasive nature of the plant.

Allow the frost-killed portions of Maiden Grass to remain throughout the dormant season, as the buff-colored foliage, stalks, and fruiting heads have great winter interest. This plant prefers full sun and is tolerant of moist soils. It is relatively pest and disease-free and is highly salt tolerant.

Cut foliage down in late winter or early spring before, or just as, new blades appear.

Quick ID Hints:

Erect clumping grass
Terminal inflorescence in finger-like racemes

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

Profile Video:

See this plant in the following landscape:

Border Landscape Pinewild County Club, Moore County

Cultivars / Varieties:

'Adagio'

Foliage is narrow and the flowers are consistent through August

'Gold Bar'

'Goldfeder'
0.75 in. wide lime green leaves with light yellow stripes which darken in warm climates

'Goliath'
Cascade of broad green leaves

'Gracillimus'

Slender medium green, narrow, weeping leaves

'Graziella'
Narrow green leaves; copper red and orange fall color

'Hinjo'

Dwarf version with horizontal bands of yellow more closely spaced than those of 'Zebrinus'

'Malepartus'
very graceful and colorful grass that has wider leaves than 'Graziella'

'Morning Light'

Narrow, green leaves with three white stripes, produces a shimmering silver effect

'NCMS1'

Big dramatic grass with soft arching leaves and showy flowers

'Rotsilber'
Large reddish-pink flowers over a compact mound of dark green leaves which have orange-red fall color

'Sarbonde'

Large bronzy-gold flowers over an arching mound of narrow, dark green leaves

'Silberfeder'
Large, feathery plumes that emerge a shimmering pinkish-silver in late summer

'Strictus'

Reddish fan-shaped seed heads

var. condensatus 'Cabaret'

Tall, densely-tufted grass which typically forms a foliage clump rising 6-9' tall with cream white center with wide dark green m

var. condensatus 'Cosmopolitan'

Wide leaves with a creamy margin and a broad green midrib which form a substantial, arching clump

'Variegatus'

Leaves bear marginal white, longitudinal stripes

'Yaku Jima'

Dwarf form

'Zebrinus'

6-7' tall, leaves bear transverse bands of yellow on the leaves

'Adagio', 'Gold Bar', 'Goldfeder', 'Goliath', 'Gracillimus', 'Graziella', 'Hinjo', 'Malepartus', 'Morning Light', 'NCMS1', 'Rotsilber', 'Sarbonde', 'Silberfeder', 'Strictus', var. condensatus 'Cabaret', var. condensatus 'Cosmopolitan', 'Variegatus', 'Yaku Jima', 'Zebrinus'

Tags:

#arching #showy flowers #fall color #invasive #full sun tolerant #wildlife plant #weedy #salt tolerant #cover plant #winter interest #apvg #playground #dried flowers #children's garden #wind dispersed seeds #pollinator plant #fantz #poor soils tolerant #bird friendly #apvg-p

Miscanthus sinensis — flowers Matt Levin CC-BY-SA 2.0

Weed on Curb Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

'Gold Bar' Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Form Asheville, NC — Form, Asheville, NC Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0