Spectacular, clump forming autumn flowering grasses with good winter presence. Many look good from August to March when they need cutting hard back, to near ground level. No staking required especially in exposed gardens.
We are currently in the process of collecting Miscanthus, with the hope of applying for National Plant Collection ® status in the future. We already have c. 100 varieties and are working on obtaining more - there are at least 250 named forms now! We are also researching all the varieties, specifically to try and find out the origin of each form. Over the next couple of years we hope to start planting the Miscanthus collection out in a new area of field adjacent to the nursery which will enable all our varieties to be seen together.
Miscanthus come in many different shapes and sizes, though the basic form doesn't change much: tight clumps with often woody bases, upright stems clothed with leaves to about 75% of their height, the flowers held above the foliage in late summer and autumn. The height, uprightness and flower details are the main differences between varieties but there are a large number of leaf variations too, both variegated leaves and width of leaf. There are a very small number of forms that are not clump forming. Generally speaking Miscanthus are very long lived, trouble free garden grasses.
We recommend allowing Miscanthus at least 2-3 growing seasons in the garden before deciding if they are going to be okay as they do take some time to establish a root system and to start growing to their full potential. On poorer, drier soils consider the forms with more narrow leaves as these tend to be more drought tolerant.
Clumps of upright stems with light green foliage turning into a brilliant autumn foliage display from mid-summer until the frosts. Thin, purple-silver flowers from August to 1m. Average to good soil in sun.
An amazing new hybrid Miscanthus with a spreading habit made bearable by the glistening silvery pink drooping flowers in autumn to 1.8m. Probably best in a container.
A delightful smaller species with fresh green arching foliage and slender silky gold flowers in late summer and autumn. Needs drained soil and a warm sunny position. 1.5m.
A new species to us collected in Yunnan, China. Clumps of upright, arching stems with a distinctly greyish appearance. Pinkish summer flowers soon turn a silvery grey by autumn. 1.2m.
A small grower compared to most Miscanthus. Tight clumps of upright stems clad with olive leaves and topped with coppery red flowers to 1.5m. Outstanding red autumn foliage.
A dwarf form with golden flowers to 60cm. The flowers emerge frizzled and as they turn to seed the whole thing looks like dreadlocks! Average soil in sun.
An elegant French variety with narrow leaves and light yellow "zebra" stripes. Rarely flowers for us but when it does, they are pinkish and quickly fade to golden buff. 1.5m
An excellent, popular, early flowering variety with purple-red flowers from August. Flowers fade to silvery grey for winter. Good upright habit to 1.8m. Good soil in sun.
Narrow leaves on this excellent shorter form to 1.5m. Salmon pink flowers turn to a golden brown and stand through the winter. Good soil in full sun for the best effect.
A good doer with upright columns of fresh green foliage topped with metallic reddish flowers that fade to a golden buff. September through winter. 1.8m. Full sun in reasonable soil.
A recent addition to my collection, neat clumps of fresh green foliage with good red autumn tints. Silky metallic red flowers from late August turning golden into winter. 1.5m?
An excellent, upright columnar form with fine foliage and masses of pinkish flowers that fade to a bright buff. 1.5m. Average to good soil in sun. Cut back in late winter/early spring.
A neat growing form with medium width leaves and pretty purplish-red flowers to 1.5m. Often produces good autumn foliage colour too. China. Presumably wild collected but CL has eluded us!
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