Miscanthus sinensis Seeds | Chinese Silver Grass
LATIN NAME: Miscanthus sinensis
COMMON NAME: Chinese Silver Grass
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Chinese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) is a bold, easy grass, native to open ground and watersides of the eastern Asia. Chinese silver grass is a tall, arching, feathery grass of late season, and it has been carried to gardens of temperate world for its fine, silvery plumes. Tall clumps of narrow, green or variegated leaves send up long stems tipped with soft, silky, silvery-pink panicles that catch light through autumn and the winter. It moves gracefully in wind and gives border a fine, airy structure. The blooms are worked steadily by bees for as long as they are open. It is hard to name another plant that gives this much for this little trouble.
Science & Biotechnology
Botanists studying the Miscanthus group regularly include Miscanthus sinensis in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. Chinese silver grass has a strong presence in plant science, and it has been studied seriously as a bioenergy and a fibre crop. It is the kind of species that plant scientists reach for when they need reliable material for propagation and selection studies.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Chinese Silver Grass for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Chinese silver grass is grown for looks and for practical value. In garden tall, arching clumps and silvery plumes make a fine, dramatic statement, and seed heads stand through the winter. It has been studied and planted as a source of biomass for clean energy and as a raw material for paper, and strong stems have a traditional use in thatching and the weaving. A plant that has settled in will get along with only routine care.
Silvergrass is a premier ornamental grass and a leading biomass energy crop, yielding fiber, biofuel feedstock and winter structure for the garden.
Growing from Seed
Chinese Silver Grass grows readily from seed. Level a tray of loose seed compost, sow evenly, cover to about the seed’s own depth, and keep it moist in full light. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Being a bold, easy grass, it asks for a permanent spot and repays it yearly. Fresh seed sown into evenly moist compost is most of the battle won.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Chinese Silver Grass often pair it with these related subjects: