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Poaceae FAMILY

Miscanthus sinensis

Miscanthus sinensis

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The leaves have saw-toothed edges that can cut the unwary gardener, it is best to wear gloves when working with the plant[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
GrowthFast

Fully dormant plants are hardy to about -20°c[2], though the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. Prefers a deep fertile loamy soil that does not dry out in summer[1] but succeeds in any ordinary soil that is not too dry[3, 4], in sun or light shade[1]. The plant adapts to various types of soils and is resistant to strong wind and salt spray[5]. Prefers a pH in the range 4 - 6, but succeeds in 3.5 - 7.5[6]. The plant has been found to be the sole plant species growing in highly acidic soils around active craters where toxic gases are emitted[7]. This species photosynthesizes by a more efficient method than most plants. Called the 'C4 carbon-fixation pathway', this process is particularly efficient at high temperatures, in bright sunlight and under dry conditions. A very variable species. Although some variants may be locally distinct, there are too many intermediate formss to allow any of these variants to be able to be described as distinct. One lowland and coastal form, that has at times been classified as Miscanthus condensatus Hack., or as a subspecies of Miscanthus sinensis, is said to retain its leaves over winter, to be tolerant of saline soils,and to be self-fertile (or at least to produce seed apomictically). However, it is also said to be less cold-tolerant[6]. Often grown as an ornamental plant, there are many named varieties[4]. Many forms do not get enough summer heat to flower freely when they are grown in Britain, 'Silberfeder' (syn 'Silver Feather') is the most free-flowering in cooler climates[2]. Plants can be grown as a focal point in lawns, they also succeed in quite coarse grass[8]. The leaves have saw-toothed edges that can cut the unwary gardener, it is best to wear gloves when working with the plant[1]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[8].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in spring in a greenhouse and keep moist. Germination should take place within a couple of weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or early autumn[1]. Very easy, large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Miscanthus+sinensis>

Pollinators

Wind

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1991 · ISBN 0-330-30936-9 ↩︎Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
  3. [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  4. [4]Ornamental Grasses. — Grounds. R. · Christopher Helm · 1989 · ISBN 0-7470-1219-9 ↩︎Cultivation details of many of the grasses and bamboos. Well illustrated.
  5. [5]Khartasia — Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Collections; Paris · 2020 (Accessed) · http://khartasia-crcc.mnhn.fr/en ↩︎A website containing information on almost 100 species (as of March 2020) of fibre-producing plants that are used in paper making in eastern Asia. An excellent and developing resource.
  6. [6]Industrial Crops - Breeding for BioEnergy and Bioproducts — Von Mark V. Cruz &.David A. Dierig (Editors) · Springer; New York · 2015 · http://10.1007/978-1-4939-1447-0 · ISBN 978-1-4939-1447-0 ↩︎
  7. [7]The ecology and agronomy of Miscanthus sinensis, a species important to bioenergy crop development, in its native ra — Stewart J.R. et al · 2009 · http://10.1111/j.1757-1707.2009.01010.x ↩︎
  8. [8]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons, London. · 1990 · ISBN 0 460 86048 8 ↩︎A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
  9. [9]Flora of Japan. (English translation) — Ohwi. G. · Smithsonian Institution · 1965 · ISBN - ↩︎The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
  10. [10]Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World. — Tanaka. T. & Nakao S. · Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo · 1976 · ISBN - ↩︎The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
  11. [11]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  12. [12]Medicinal Plants of China — Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. · Reference Publications, Inc. · 1985 · ISBN 0-917256-20-4 ↩︎Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
  13. [13]A Barefoot Doctors Manual. — ? · Running Press; Philadelphica. · 1977 · ISBN 0-914294-92-X ↩︎A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
  14. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎