Miscanthus sinensis Graziella - Silvergrass

Miscanthus sinensis 'Graziella', also known as Chinese silver grass or eulalia, is a German selection derived from 'Gracillimus'. Its habit is narrower and it bears more flowers. Its pinkish spikes become silvery and feathery a month before other varieties. The upright flowering remains above the foliage until winter. In autumn, the foliage turns a remarkable intense orange-copper then bronze. Elegant and compact, it is decorative even in the heart of winter, when the inflorescences are finely frosted. An easy-to-grow grass in any ordinary, dry to moist soil, in the sun.

Chinese silver grass 'Graziella' belongs to the Poaceae family. It is a horticultural selection derived from Miscanthus sinensis, native to East Asia and Oceania. This tall perennial grass with short rhizomes grows in a non-running clump. It is tufted. The habit is both upright and trailing, easily reaching 1.5m (5ft) in height when flowering, 1m (3ft) for the foliage, with a spread of 50cm (20in). The leaves are very thin, ribbon-like, very long, and flexible. They are initially bottle green with a light median stripe, then shining copper-orange in autumn, before turning bronze. An abundance of flowering stems emerges well above the foliage from early August to October, in the form of silky digitate spikes 20 to 30cm (8 to 12in) long, which are slightly pinkish. When withered, they quickly turn silver, then golden. The plumes are made up of tiny pink flowers that close a little after opening, only to open again at maturity. They then take on a paler and more feathery appearance.

Among ornamental grasses, miscanthus is probably one of the most beautiful and least invasive. It has been the subject of numerous selections and has given rise to many cultivars. They all share a silhouette with an upright, regular, and arching clump, with long leaves with a light central stripe, turning straw yellow in winter. It is also a wonderful perennial that grows by itself, perfect for contemplative gardeners, and has a place in a modern garden with clean lines, or in large ensembles where it lightens the floral displays, leaving a sense of freedom in its wake. It is perfect for large borders, to which its strong presence brings structure and grace. In winter, it lights up the garden with its reassuring silhouette. Miscanthus is well suited for planting as a hedge, creating a screen along a pathway, isolating a part of the garden, or simply blocking the view of the street or a neighbour's garden. In this use, they offer a somewhat unreal walk through the vegetation. These grasses add volume and texture to the boundaries of the garden, naturally transitioning to the open areas. In an urban garden, Chinese silver grass softens concrete structures. It will look magnificent near a body of water, in well-drained soil. Planting in large containers on a patio is also suitable. Chinese silver grass can also be used to create beautiful dried bouquets.
 
Some varieties of miscanthus are currently being studied, as they offer real prospects for the creation of standing crop or fibre panels. These plants have several advantages: they do not deplete the soil, tolerate polluted soils well, and can be incinerated or even used for the production of biofuel.