Native to eastern Asia, but widely distributed across the globe. Considered invasive in certain areas, including most of the eastern US (but not Massachusetts)
Clump-forming perennial grass growing up to 12 feet tall.
Thrives in most soil and light conditions, and grows quickly.
Leaves are long and thin with an arching form, turning shades of gold, red and orange in the fall.
Showy, puffy flowers bloom in the fall and persist throughout winter.
Hardiness zones 5-9
Sentimental and Symbolic Value
In Japan, where it is known as すすき(susuki), it is a nostolgic and comforting plant whose bloom heralds the autumn. This plant is one of fourteen used in the Festival of the Seven Herbs (七草の節句, Nanakusa-no-sekku) , a festival originating in the 3rd century AD in which people eat a hot soup of seven spring vegetables meant to ward off evil. These plants are mirrored by the seven autumn flowers - first described as their traditional counterpart in the 万葉集 (Man'yōshū, "Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), 759 - of which M. sinensis is one.
It is a common motif of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional festival celebrated in the Sinosphere, and its related Japanese (月見, Tsukimi) and Korean (추석, Chuseok) counterparts. This festival is held on the 15th of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, generally falling in late September.
It is commonly used in Japan for making everyday items such as paper, textiles and kimonos. Its widespread use and exotic look has given it a reputation of being associated with the East to Western audiences and as such has been used extensively in so-called exotic, Orientalist plantings and other art forms.
Specimen photographed found at Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.
Plant History and Etymology
The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek μίσχος (mískhos, “stalk of a flower or leaf”) + ἄνθος (ánthos, “flower”), while the specific epithet sinensis comes from the Latin word for China, Sīnae. Its native range extends from the Kuril Islands through Japan, Korea, and eastern China south to Ryukyu and Taiwan. It is unknown how or when its expansion out of the far east began, but by the 1940s it was noted as being "abundantly naturalized" in the eastern US. It occured along roadsides, railroad tracks, and other spontaneous locations. It has long been one of the most widely cultivated ornamental plants in the world, with hundreds of cultivars. Recently, it has entered the conversation as a strong candidate for biofuels.
Design Considerations
The Chinese silvergrass is a very showy plant with large spiked or panicled flowers coming in gray, pink, red and white colors and blooming in the fall. Its persistant flowers and leaves, erect stems and attractive leaves give it year-round visual interest. It lacks significant wildlife value but makes a great ornamental in virtually any kind of landscape. If invasiveness is an issue, many cultivars such as M. sinensis 'Bandwith' or 'My Fair Maiden' are a less fertile option. One major issue with this plant is that it is highly flammable, so it should not be planted close to a building.
Sources
“Miscanthus Sinensis.” 2011. Fs.fed.us. 2011. https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/graminoid/missin/all.html
“Miscanthus Sinensis (Chinese Silvergrass, Chinese Silver Grass, Eulalia, Japanese Silver Grass, Maidengrass, Maiden Grass, Susuki) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” 2021. Ncsu.edu. 2021. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/miscanthus-sinensis/.
“Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Plants to Watch.” 2021. Invasive.org. 2021. https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/plants-to-watch.htm#misi.
“Miscanthus Sinensis (Eulalia).” 2020. Cabi.org. 2020. https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/34269#toDistributionMaps.
Mitros, T., Session, A.M., James, B.T. et al. Genome biology of the paleotetraploid perennial biomass crop Miscanthus. Nat Commun 11, 5442 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18923-6