Eulalia, Maiden Grass, Zebra Grass, Chinese Silvergrass 'Morning Light'

My favorite Miscanthus, and one of my favorite ornamental grasses.

The variegation is subtle, but it gives the foliage a s...Read Moreilvery cast that sets it apart from its neighbors. It's also luminous when it's backlit by the sun. This is a beautiful ornamental even where the season is too short for it to flower. It forms a tight clump and is self-supporting.

The feathery flowers appear just at first frost here in late October (Z6a), so they won't set seed. It also means that they last well into the winter. I have never seen this plant self-sow.

This is one of the narrow-leafed cultivars, and it sheds snow and ice better than those with broader foliage. It still tends to break down eventually here, where there's a lot of snow, but it usually looks good into January, and sometimes beyond. It's a longer lasting winter ornamental in Washington DC than it is here.

It's tough and adaptable, needing only full sun and good drainage. I've only had it fail to establish when I've planted it late in the season---I now make sure it's planted before the end of June.

I cut the foliage back to about 6" in early spring, or by April 15 at the latest---otherwise the new leaves mix in with last year's, or the tips get an ugly flattop. Wear gloves and long sleeves when doing maintenance, as the leaf edges can give wicked cuts.

All Miscanthus will eventually start to die out at the center, generally in 5-10 years. They can be tough to divide, but I can generally cut off a chunk from the edge of the clump by jumping on a spade or using a serrated knife.

Some kinds of Miscanthus can invade natural areas in some parts of the country---it all depends on which miscanthus, and where. If you're interested in its invasive potential, I found two nuanced discussions helpful:

http://ipetrus.blogspot.com/2006/10/invasive-miscanthus-chal...
http://miscanthus.cfans.umn.edu/naturalized or escaped sites...

this is a well behaved grass in my mixed perenial bed I have other grasses who flop and lay around but this one stays upright all sum...Read Moremer and for that matter winter too . I have had it for 4 years and so far no plumes but I guess that might be a zone thing it is magnificent in the morning light . I am planning to remove the less well behaved ones and replace them with more of this variety. It also made the cut on my plants that thrived the summer of 2010 with out much care list! very nice plant

I just planted a number of zebra / varigated grasses in my garden in Colorado Springs, CO, and they immediately started to die, which is ...Read Morein direct contradiction to everything I've been told about how most ornamental grasses flourish in relatively arid, high-altitude, poor soil, conditions.

Since the soil in my area is atrocious, I hoped this would be a good landscaping solution, but at present it appears doomed to failure.

I've watered once every 3 days, per the plants' instructions to "water frequently until established." Could I be overwatering? The site is in the direct sun and has mediocre soil and drainage.

Any suggestions from this group before I am forced to relegate this latest effort to the compost pile?
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Planted this in the middle of a large perennial bed and it wanted to take over in the worst way. The clump expanded in leaps and bounds e...Read Morevery year! The area gets full sun and the soil is slightly acidic and a bit on the clay side. If I didn't divide the grass by at least half every other year it became 4 feet across at the base. And for those of you who have divided these grasses before - it is no easy task - tough maintenance. It's truly a beautiful specimen, especially the pinkish inflorescences, but I might try planting it in a bottomed-out container or with something that will prevent clump expansion. On a positive note - you never have to buy another one again - one grass will provide a lifetime supply! Good Luck!