Eulalia Miscanthus sinensis
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Eulalia:
- Phonetic Spelling
- miss-KANTH-us sih-NEN-sis
- Description
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Miscanthus sinensis is 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:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Adagio'
- 'Gold Bar'
Foliage is narrow and the flowers are consistent through August
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 'Variegatus'
Leaves bear marginal white, longitudinal stripes 'Yaku Jima'
Dwarf form 'Zebrinus'
6-7' tall, leaves bear transverse bands of yellow on the leaves - 'Gold Bar'
- 'Adagio', 'Gold Bar', 'Goldfeder', 'Goliath', 'Gracillimus', 'Graziella', 'Hinjo', 'Malepartus', 'Morning Light', 'NCMS1', 'Rotsilber', 'Sarbonde', 'Silberfeder', 'Strictus', 'Variegatus', 'Yaku Jima', 'Zebrinus'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
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'Adagio'
- 'Gold Bar'
Foliage is narrow and the flowers are consistent through August
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 'Variegatus'
Leaves bear marginal white, longitudinal stripes 'Yaku Jima'
Dwarf form 'Zebrinus'
6-7' tall, leaves bear transverse bands of yellow on the leaves - 'Gold Bar'
- 'Adagio', 'Gold Bar', 'Goldfeder', 'Goliath', 'Gracillimus', 'Graziella', 'Hinjo', 'Malepartus', 'Morning Light', 'NCMS1', 'Rotsilber', 'Sarbonde', 'Silberfeder', 'Strictus', 'Variegatus', 'Yaku Jima', 'Zebrinus'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Miscanthus
- Species:
- sinenesis
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- Resistant to deer, attract birds for the seeds
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Cascading
- Columnar
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Aggregate
- Caryopsis
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Good Dried
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Inflorescences a terminal panical of spikelets that unfurl atop the central vertical stalks, and differ among the numerous cultivars in terms of their time of emergence, color, separation from the upper foliage (well-separated or immersed within it), and Winter persistence. Secondary axes in elongate, finger-like racemes that grow up to 8" long. Spikelets are paired, less than an inch in size, lanceolate, and with long silky hairs basally. As fruits develop, axes develop hairs that spread for seed dispersal.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Variegated
- White
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Arching blades may range from 0.25" to 2" wide, and 3' to 5' long, sometimes with variegation on the medium-green foliage that is silver, white, cream, or yellow on the midrib. Leaves are flat, linear sheated, inconspicuously serrulate.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are cane-like, erect, spreading, bearing leaves reducing in size upwards and terminating in an inflorescence.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Humidity
- Salt
- Wet Soil
- Wind
- Problems:
- Weedy
