Miscanthus: species and varieties, growing conditions

Who is this plant for? Firstly, those who wish to see thickets of green spaces in the garden will undoubtedly pay attention to it. Secondly, fans of non-standard solutions in garden landscape design will like it.

Indeed, the miscanthus flower, even without lush bright inflorescences, attracts the eye. And all because it has lush, dense foliage, shaped like a fan or a fountain falling down.

Under natural conditions, the plant grows in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa and Australia.

A bit about the history of the Miscanthus

Miscanthus (Miscanthus) recognized as one of the most interesting representatives of ornamental cereals. The name comes from the Greek words “mischos” – stem and “anthos” – flower and is associated with the method of attaching spikelets.

The history of this culture goes far into the past. In the 19th century, miscanthus, like other ornamental grasses, had already experienced the peak of popularity in England and America. Then such large herbs as miscanthus and cortaderia fit perfectly into the overall picture of Victorian gardens.

In the future, landscape architects began to fear exotic hobbies, as they believed that because of this, more modest, but no less attractive plants of European flora could remain undeservedly forgotten.

For a long time, the value of cereals was determined only from the standpoint of their practical use. And only a few decades later, the world-famous German gardener Karl Forster began to actively advocate the widespread use of cereals in floriculture and landscape design. Since then, decorative grasses have become an integral element in the design of gardens.

Among them, the leading place is occupied by miscanthus, which have a lot of advantages. Their stems are infinitely resilient and elastic. Even the strongest wind can bend them to the ground, but not break them.

What does a miscanthus flower look like?

According to the botanical description, miscanthus are sprawling perennials from 80 to 350 cm tall, usually forming large tufts with creeping rhizomes that go into the soil to a depth of about 6 m. The leaves are bright green, thick, leathery, scaly, linear, narrow, not wide more than 2 cm. In autumn they become burgundy, yellow, brown.

Small flowers are collected in loose fan-shaped paniculate inflorescences up to 20 cm long. Panicles or miscanthus sultans are very attractive. At the beginning of flowering they have a pink tint, gradually becoming silvery. Also, the color depends on the type and variety.

Blooms in June – July, some species bloom from mid-July to late August.

Their stems are surprisingly strong, but set in motion by the slightest breath of breeze. Their beauty is soothing. And no matter how tired you are, next to these interesting plants, all troubles will recede, and you will feel a surge of energy.

And for lovers of Japanese motifs in the garden, miscanthus plants are generally irreplaceable: similar to bamboo, they will help create and express the necessary mood of complete detachment from worldly fuss and to some extent compensate for the excessive desire to decorate the garden.

Those who know how beautiful miscanthus look plant several species or varieties on the site at once, thereby creating original compositions, combining them with each other or with other perennials.

Characteristics of species and varieties of miscanthus (with photo)

Miscanthus sugarflower (Miscanthus sacchariflorus).

Grows in wet meadows of the Far East, China and Japan.

According to its characteristics, this type of miscanthus is a long-rhizome perennial that has a bare stem, up to 2 m high. The leaves are broadly linear, up to 60 cm, very hard. The inflorescence is a fan-shaped panicle up to 30 cm long. It blooms in August, the seeds rarely ripen.

Decorative until winter. Vegetates from May to September. It must be borne in mind that it is very aggressive and grows extremely quickly.

Miscanthus Chinese, or Chinese reed (Miscanthus sinensis).

Miscanthus sinensis in nature is distributed in the Far East of Russia up to the taiga zone, in China, Korea and Japan. He has been in culture since 1875.

Loose-bush perennial grass with a high stem – up to 3 m. The leaves are linear, rough, up to 1.5 cm wide. The inflorescence is a fan-shaped panicle.
This type of miscantes has a lot of varieties that differ significantly in size, shape, leaf color, texture, flowering time and winter hardiness.
It is a little more tender than sugar-flowered miscanthus, so you should not forget that you need to choose a warm place for it, protected from cold winds. For example, near a large stone on the shore of a reservoir, near which there is always high humidity.

Chinese miscanthus varieties:

The experience of gardeners shows that the varieties “Gracillimus”, “Strictus”, “Zebrinus” have a very long growing season, bloom in late autumn or may not bloom at all if the summer is cold. The leaves of the Miscanthus cultivar ‘Gracillimus’ resemble needles.
If you want to have regularly flowering specimens in the garden, then you should plant miscanthus varieties such as “Punktchen” – powerful, voluminous, with yellow strokes on weeping leaves, “Kleine Fontane” – small, thick, delicate and graceful, “Siren” – strict and strong.
Such giants as “Goliaph” and Miscanthus Floridulus, which I would like to especially mention, have also proven themselves to be excellent. They keep their shape very well, real aristocrats. Dense, stately, even in calm weather, they emit a light, calming rustle of leaves.
“Little Kitten” is a compact plant, up to 80 cm high, with narrow leaves.

Miscanthus varieties “Yaku Jima” and “Adagio” are also compact, no more than 1 m high, their inflorescences are pink and lush. In the latter variety, the inflorescences are located much higher than the level of the leaves. Miscanthus variety “Nippon” has dark inflorescences, grows up to 1.4 m in height, and its leaves turn orange in autumn.

Miscanthus “Kleine Silberspinne” has leaves with a crease and are located almost horizontally, and the height of the bush is 1.2 m.
Miscanthus varieties “Rotfuchs” have red panicle inflorescences, while the varieties “Grosse Fontne” have silvery ones.
The most winter-hardy are the varieties “Blondo” and “Silberfeder”. In height, they grow up to 2 m. The Silberfeder plant has wide leaves (up to 2 cm), and pinkish inflorescences.

Miscanthus “Autumn Light” grows up to 2.4 m in height, has narrow leaves.

Miscanthus varieties “Gradlimus” bushes have a rounded shape. In height, they reach 2.1 m, the leaves of the plant turn golden yellow in autumn.
Miscanthus “Strictus” also has striated leaves, and the flowers have a reddish tint. The height of the bushes of this variety is 1.8–2.7 m.
Miscanthus “Variegatus” grows up to 2.1 m in height, its leaves are with white stripes, and the top of the inflorescences is red.

In the photo of the Chinese miscanthus varieties shown below, you can see all their diversity, a rich color gamut of not only petals, but also leaves.

Miscanthus Floridulus, or miscanthus blooming.
Reaches a height of 4 meters, forms a compact, slightly sprawling turf. Lateral weeping leaves extend in all directions from the main stem and create the effect of a large fountain. They are dark green, up to 27 mm wide, with a white stripe along the midrib of the leaf, which is characteristic of many miscanthus.
This giant is rarely at rest and immobility. Its huge stems are constantly swaying, even when there is no wind. Over the years of dealing with these amazing plants, I have not had to observe that some varieties did not keep their shape, were untidy and fell apart from rain or strong winds.
Varieties of miscanthus blooming:

Varieties with longitudinal stripes on the leaves are very interesting: “Morning Light” with thin white stripes, stems and leaves form an unusually graceful graceful bush, and “Variegatus” with wider, almost white, long leaves up to 2 m high.

The latter variety is very bright and attracts attention from afar, solos in the flower garden and on the lawn, it is good against the background of dark stones.
The description of the flowering miscanthus is supplemented by the following photo, where you can consider the features of this species.

Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus).

One of the most sought after species of miscanthus among gardeners. It has erect stems up to 3 m long. The leaves extend from the main stem in different directions, so the plant resembles a fountain in shape. The leaf blades are narrow, hard, dense, dark green, with a white stripe in the middle.
The flowers are collected in loose panicles, which are pink in color, eventually turning into silver.

The lower leaves turn brown towards the end of the summer season and gradually fall off. This slightly spoils the decorativeness of the bush. Given this feature of this species, experienced gardeners plant it in the background.

Features of growing miscanthus grass

Location. When growing miscanthus, it should be borne in mind that it is moisture-loving, so it is better to shade the background of the pond with it or decorate a ditch, fence, or any unsightly place in the garden. This native of the Far East will need a sunny place, he does not tolerate shading at all.
Watering. This culture needs regular and plentiful watering, especially during a dry and hot period. From lack of watering, the plant dries quickly. It is best to water the bushes with a hose, this will help the gardener to satisfy the need for moisture in the cereal without much physical effort.
The soil. Moist, fresh, air-, moisture-proof, fertile soil is suitable for planting miscanthus. Does not tolerate grass sands and heavy clays.
Topdressing. In order for the plant to retain its decorative effect, grow well and increase its green mass, systematic, but moderate top dressing is required.
During the active growing season, it should be fed in small doses, an excess of nitrogen leads to rapid growth, and this has a bad effect on the wintering of plants and leads to lodging of the stems.
When caring for the first year after planting miscanthus, it must be borne in mind that during this period, young plants do not need them at all. In the second year, a liquid top dressing with a nitrogen content is introduced. This work is carried out in May. In June – July it is useful to water the soil with humates, and in August potash-phosphorus fertilizer should be applied.
Transfer. A feature of this plant is that over time, the central part of dense bushes can die off, so it is necessary to carry out their periodic division and seating. Properly maintained plants look compact, slender and elegant.

Pruning. Pruning is also included in the care of miscanthus, since the shoots retain their decorative effect in autumn and winter, they are cut in early spring. In addition, if pruning is done in the fall, then during the winter thaw, moisture enters the hollow stumps of the remaining cut stems, and the plant may die due to rotting of the root system.
Loosening. The soil around the bushes of this plant is loosened and sprinkled with mulch with a layer of about 3 cm. In the first 2 years after planting, weeds must be eliminated, since they can drown out fragile young bushes. An adult strong plant grows quickly and does not allow weeds to grow.
Miscanthus grows rapidly and care must be taken to ensure that it does not oppress other flower crops. You can make a barrier around the bushes.
Wintering. Many species of miscanthus survived even in the most unfavorable winters, when there were severe long frosts, lack of snow and abnormally hot summers. Nevertheless, so that the plant is not damaged and retains its decorative qualities, a shelter is prepared for it for the winter.
In late autumn, the plant is cut and sprinkled with earth or mulch. From above, they are additionally covered with spruce branches, fallen leaves or lutrasil. You can protect the plant from frost with a film-coated frame.
You can prepare miscanthus for the cold season in other ways. At the end of autumn, tightly tie the bush closer to the base, as far as possible, loosen the soil around, mulch with coarse-grained peat and rotted foliage, and then cover the base of the plant with coniferous litter 20–30 cm thick. You will get a sheaf with silver panicles-sultans at the top.
The main reasons for poor wintering may be improperly prepared planting pit and soil. On heavy soils, drainage should be done using expanded clay and gravel with sand. Plant in a slightly elevated position to avoid stagnant water during the spring snowmelt. The growth and development of cereals is well influenced by the addition of peat, leaf humus and agroperlite to the planting pit. The latter – no more than 10%. You should also add a little ash (one glass per bucket of earth mixture). An excellent result is given by the use of a balanced organomineral fertilizer, regular watering and spraying of plants with the HB-101 preparation.
Wintering seedlings. There is a good way to help young seedlings gain strength for their first winter.
To do this, young plants are planted in autumn in pots with loose nutrient soil, and with the onset of the first stable frosts they are lowered for storage in the basement and planted in spring for permanent residence. During the summer, the plants grow stronger, gain strength and safely winter in the open field.
Also, in early spring, after the snow melts, it is necessary to cut off the aerial part of the overwintered plant, cover it with black agril (or agrospan), you can also use a thick polyethylene film. The soil and root system will warm up faster in the sun, and the plants will get a longer growing season, thereby better ripening and strengthening the root system and a safer wintering. In the second half of summer, you can feed the plants with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which have a beneficial effect on preparing for extreme winter conditions.

How miscanthus is propagated

Miscanthus is propagated by dividing the bush with seeds.
Seeds for seedlings are recommended to be sown in the fall. Peat pots or other compact containers are prepared in advance by filling them with soil mixture. 1 – 2 seeds are placed in each pot, slightly deepening them into the ground. After planting, the soil is moistened, the pots with crops are removed to a well-lit place. In order for the seeds to sprout faster, they create conditions close to greenhouse conditions by covering the pots with film or glass. After germination, the film or glass is removed.
Seedlings are kept in a room with a temperature not exceeding 20 degrees. In hotter conditions, the seedlings will begin to stretch quickly. In winter, additional lighting is created using phytolamps.
Before the onset of spring, they regularly take care of the plantings, watering them as the earthen clod dries.
Strengthened, grown plants are planted in open ground when warm weather sets in without night frosts.
Before planting in the ground, seedlings must be hardened off so that they successfully take root in a new place. To do this, plant pots are taken out into the street and left in a well-lit place, closed from wind and drafts. First, the seedlings are left outdoors for 2 hours, gradually increasing the residence time. As a result, the plants must spend the night outside. Hardened seedlings quickly adapt to new conditions and grow.
After planting miscanthus seedlings in open ground, it is important to take care of young plants, this will allow them to quickly grow.
This culture is propagated by dividing the bush. This work should be carried out no more than 1 time in 3 – 4 years, since miscanthus painfully react to transplantation.
The optimal time for planting this plant is April – June. For division, a strong, healthy, large plant is chosen and carefully, with the help of a sharp knife, it is divided into parts. Each part of the dug and divided bush should contain 5-6 shoots and a root system. It is advisable to land all the delenki at the same time, or leave them in a cool place and plant them in a few days. Planting pits are dug 90 cm deep. Organic fertilizers are added to the soil during planting.

Planting miscanthus seedlings in open ground

Planting of this crop is carried out in the spring from March to May, when the threat of a return of frost has passed. Since this plant is thermophilic, it must be taken into account that the seedling must get stronger and take root before the onset of the cold period. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for him to overwinter.
Adults hibernate successfully when a good shelter is provided for them.
Before planting, they dig small holes along the volume of the root system of the plant. A seedling is carefully placed in the hole, straightening its roots. After that, the pit is covered with earth, the place around it is rammed and watered.
This culture is characterized by aggressive root growth, therefore, when planting, limiters are placed, which are used as pieces of slate. The limiters are dug into the ground to a depth of about 40 cm, while they must remain at least 10 cm above the soil surface.
There should be a distance of about 40 – 50 cm between miscanthus bushes.
After planting, seedlings are regularly cared for, this will help them get stronger faster and get used to a new place.

The photo below shows how miscanthus is planted and cared for after this work.

Using miscanthus flowers in the garden (with photo)

Usually planted as a background plant. Group and single landings are possible, especially near outbuildings and on the banks of water bodies.
By the end of summer, the lower part of the stems becomes bare, the leaves turn yellow from below, and shorter plants mask this defect and look great against the background of a cereal bush. The loosestrife, sage, chistets, yarrow are combined with miscanthus. Of the autumn-flowering plants, stonecrop asters look good next to it. Along the reservoir, miscanthus can be planted along with loosestrife, cuff and ligularia.
Naturally, with the help of ornamental grasses alone, even if they are miscanthus, it is impossible to create an ideal version of a winter garden picture, but walking through such a garden is a pleasure.

As you can see in the photo above, miscanthus continue to play the solo part in winter, when most annual and perennial garden plants lose their attractiveness.

Powdered with snow and covered with frost, they are very noticeable in the garden. It is only important to choose the most suitable place for them. Large cereals, as a rule, occupy one of the central places in the garden and flower garden. Contrary to the delusion of some gardeners, these plants are appropriate not only in large open spaces, but also in a small garden. This is their versatility, they do not require much space, but at the same time they are able to combine the entire garden composition into a single picture, placing the necessary accents.
Successful partners for them can be various types of plants with carved, openwork leaves, and even dahlias. Miscanthuses with curtains of Rogers, variegated butterbur, overgrown Darmer and black cohosh look interesting and complement each other. In winter and summer, they are excellent in combination with clipped shrubs in a spherical shape, such as privet and barberries with bright foliage.
Sugar miscanthus are good in large areas for decorating ponds in a natural style, where there is no need to fight them and make any effort to care for them.
With the onset of autumn, miscanthus are not going to lose their beauty. On the contrary, they retain their striking autumn attire throughout the long winter until the start of the spring growing season. It is only necessary not to overexpose last year’s stems, but to cut them off in time after the snow melts and the soil warms up, so that the young growth does not have time to mix with the old dried shoots.

Looking at the following photos of miscanthus flowers, you can be sure that this culture is a real highlight of the garden plot.