Zebra Grass in Water?

Anyone elso grow their Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' in water?

Mine is loving it. I also have a nice clump in the ground which I water every day. Keeps it from splaying.

That's it in the back.

Robert.

That's interesting. I never thought about it, cuz I always think, grasses = xeriscaping....
I hardly ever water them.

It is a neat pool of plants tho. Thanks for sharing.

I know just what you mean.

Zebra Grass and Gardener's Garters (Phalaris arundinacea) are two that love high moisture, though they can do without being wet all the time.

Robert.

The Mama clump that I water daily (so far, tee-hee).

I have 3 clumps of the Zebra Grass. I always tried not to water it. I thought it could and liked to with stand watering. Do u cut yours back? I am in zone 7 too. I will have include my Zebra grasses now when I water. Thanks

I wait to cut mine back in the spring as the new growth begins. I enjoy it during the winter as a huge "dried arrangement". There's no need to wait for the new growth to begin, I just know that when I see it, I'd better get with it ASAP. :-)

It can be cut back to 6-12 inches anytime after the tops are completly dead if you want.

Robert.

Robert
I discovered zebra grass this year and a couple of people sent me some decent sized clumps , but I didnt have any luck down here . I gave them well draining sandy soil constant moisture and part sun but they pretty much died back to nothing maybe too hot in the Summer for them here. Right now I have some sprouting from the original clumps and the stripes are vertical instead of horizontal ( seed blades I think) not sure what to do with them . Yours look great, it's the coolest variegation Ive seen on a grass. Would love to get my hands on some more to try in the winter.
Neil

I think it's just too hot there. I usually see it rated to zone 9. Isn't Key West 10 or 11? But if your plant is coming back, it would seem to be doing alright.

As far as the re-orientaion of the stripes goes, that is just too peculiar--I'd love to see pix!

I've noticed that new sprouts on mine are all green and then show some odd markings that soon normalize as the sprout grows.

Robert.

I have 'Little Zebra' and never water mine (hardly ever), but it's much colder here and maybe rainier too. The pinkish plumes shoot way above the foliage this time of year.

Miscanthus sinensis "Gold Bar" is a more restrained version with sharper gold striping. Very nice for smaller situations. I don't have a pic handy. Why do I mention this? Check out the Miscanthus sinensis "Strictus" in the photo. Unfortunately it is coming out next spring. It was planted there before the pond (7yrs). This was taken in July. By September it crowds the water fall, dips into the water and generally threatens to reshape that end of the pond. I will miss it though. It was never watered, nor fertilized. A "Gold Bar" will replace it, if I can get the darned thing out. I had to take tree loppers to cut it back yesterday.

Snap-to-it: That is so awesome! I love everything about this setting, esp the weeping conifer. Love the fish plaque, the stone lantern, every other plant is exquisite, please identify everything from left to right. I love, love, love it!

snapple45~

What a lovely scene and what a nice big Zebra clump!

I have only seen pix of 'Gold Bar' but it looks very nice and I think it definitely fits the needs of a great many situations where a less "statuesque" grass is wanted.

Robert.

This message was edited Oct 13, 2006 6:15 PM

'Gold Bar' is a very slow grower. I bought several 3" pots of it on the Park's Wholesale closeout this summer, and potted them up. They've gotten to about a foot high. During the same time, the 3" pot 'Gracillimus' have gotten to 2-3' tall. One of the pictures of 'Gold Bar' on the web is of an 8 year old specimen that is barely 5' tall, and more erect than 'Zebrinus.'

My clump is in bloom now and is well over 7 feet tall. I've had to tie it up together to keep it from blowing over due to winds, but as high as the winds have been lately, I may have to stake it too. It's out in the open so it just catches every breeze.....

R.

OK folks, here goes: soil pH 6.5 sandy, well amended with compost and shredded oak leaves
Salix integra "Hakuro Nishiki" Needs constant attention with pruners
Anthrium nipponicum "Pictum" Has begun to naturalize over the whole garden, very slow to start
Buxus x "Green Mountain" Slow grower, worth the wait
Hosta 'Francis Williams' speaks for itself, large, gorgeous
Minsanthus sinensis "Strictus" Really large
Strobilanthes dyerianus "Persian Shield" Annual here. Good in big containers
Chamaecyparis obtusa "Aurea Nana" Dwarf Hinoki Cypress, very slow grower ( 5yrs old)
Larix decidua "Pendula" nearly lost it to Gypsy Moth, likes shelter from wind
Festuca "Elija Blue"
Carex conica "Snowline" Touchy, either it thrives or it dissapears, sometimes right next to each other, but looks good with the Festuca.

Thanks! I have a lot of these except the conifers (just bought a book on them, lucky me!), love the simplicity of the layout and design. You have a real talent, and an eye for restraint. Something that I aspire to.

Wow, thank you. I'm not so sure about the restraint thing (see below). Watch out for the conifers. You won't believe the vast number of varieties for every color, texture and form imaginable. Im just getting started with them myself, but 95% has to be mail order. Slim pickins around here for anything but the most common varieties. Most recent addition to the front yard in pic. All but the Magnolia was planted mid August. Still have one more spot in front yard (not shown) to fill with the Heptacodium.

Chamaecyparis obtusa "Gold Sprite"
Juniper squamata "Blue Star"
Gingko biloba "Chris' Dwarf"
Carex buchananii "Copper Sedge"
Carex oshimensis "Evergold"
Festuca "Elija Blue"
Magnolia "Butterflies"

The Junipers , Festuca and Evergold were the only items available locally. Everything else through the mail. See, no real restraint.

This message was edited Oct 13, 2006 9:00 PM

Same here, except probably more than one carex and magnolia available nowadays. I wouldn't even know about dwarf ginkgos if it weren't for catalogs. Jade Butterflies caught my eye, I think because they pictured a girl standing next to it, and it was her height. Is that yours in the cage? I had never seen so many chamaecyparis until I went to a trade show on a student pass. That was thrilling, honestly. I wish I hadn't offended Dax, maybe someone else here will step into the gap and help me out if necessary, possibly yourself?

The dwarf gingko in the cage is called "Chris' Dwarf" Expected 8 X8. We have mutant rabbits here that will take any tender bark down to the heartwood in the winter. Magnolia Butterflies is on the left. There is a stunning ginkgo called Jade Butterflies but it isn't what I have. The magnolia is recovering from severe rabbit and squirrel damage. The rabbits ate the trunk bark and the squirrels ate upper branch bark. In the winter I have to wrap the trunk with hardware cloth and keep the branches sprayed with Ropel. I am no where near qualified to give any advice on conifers. Oh how I wish I was! I would only offer info on what I have successfully grown, and frankly that isn't much. Like you I have just started with books. I am trying to teach myself genus and species for an understanding of the basic characteristics. If ever there was a case of trying to teach an old dog new tricks this is it! Dax, where ARE you?! You are needed here. A Chamaecyparis trade show? Be still my heart!

Snapcracklepop~I did realize that, sorry if my post was unclear. I sympathize, except here it's deer. I live down the street (literally) from four different forest preserves, the herds wait until sundown and then they descend, getting braver and braver due to hunger. Wish they would hire someone for a day to thin them, my daughter had one jump into the car on her way home, thank God the window was up, and it only broke the mirror off and dented the roof a little, before it rolled off. The trade show wasn't only chams, but that's all I saw, he he.

Definitely prefer a little rabbit and squirrel damage to a deer on the hood or in the 'hood.

Dwarf Gingko "Jade Butterfly". A lovely tree we just bought this Summer.
edited to add; Zebra grass does well here in the NW, perhaps too well! I cut it to the ground in late Fall.

This message was edited Oct 14, 2006 8:22 AM

That's really lovely balvenie.