#zebra grass

zebra grass and chameleon little bluestem very colorful grasses when all has bloomed out

I was expecting several varieties of canna lilies and not so much grass but as usual by the time I get my order the shipment has changed - but those grasses are pretty when it gets too hot for anything to bloom. The purple fountain grass is an annul around here but the zebra grass and the chameleon little bluestem are at their best from late summer to early winter.

I surely think the zebra grass would look better behind the purple fountain grass on this spotlight table but that would be “striping” a table and according to the rules everything must be “blocked”. However, I will change things up after I’ve sent my photos in for approval by the boss.

Miscanthus sinesis ‘zebrinus’ / Zebra Grass

PLANT COMMUNITY:  N/A

NATIVE REGION:  China, Korea, Japan; central, eastern, and western US, invasive

MATURE SIZE:  Height of 5-8′, spread of 4-6′; tight clump shape, upward-arching stems

HABITAT/GROWING CONDITIONS:  Lowlands, alpine areas, disturbed sites, roadsides, railroad, woodlands; easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade; tolerant of summer heat and humidity, drought,  and air pollution

ECO-INDICATOR:  N/A

HARDINESS ZONE:  5-9

LEAF COLOR:  Linear leaves have tapered tips, serrate margins and whitish to silvery midribs; foliage often turns attractive shades of yellow to orange by mid-fall before gradually fading to beige-tan for winter

FLOWER COLOR:  Pink to red flowers in feathery, whisk-like, loose terminal panicles bloom

VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:  In Japan, Chinese silvergrass is used to stabilize easily erodible soils and is planted to revegetate abandoned ski slopes.