Miscanthus sinensis Little Zebra - Silvergrass

The Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Zebra' is a small round Chinese reed, very bushy, with a sparkling foliage made of dark green ribbons, regularly barred with cream yellow lines widthwise. Such a presence deserves to be highlighted in flowerbeds or in large containers, for its beautiful structure, its undeniable brilliance and its truly dense, small fountain-like habit. The beigepink fluffy inflorescences appear in September and persist on the plant until December.

The 'Little Zebra' eulalia belongs to the poaceae family. Close to the 'Zebrinus' variety, but  much more compact, it is a horticultural selection derived from Miscanthus sinensis, native to eastern Asia and Oceania. This perennial grass with short rhizomes grows in a non-spreading clump, it is cespitose. The very dense clump-like habit, both upright and slightly trailing, does not exceed  80 cm (32in) in height, with a relative spread of 50 cm (20in). The leaves are thin and ribbon-like, very long, quite flexible, dark green, striped with light yellow. The floral stems emerge just above the foliage from September to November, in the form of digitate and silky spikes, 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8in) long, beige pink. As they fade, they take on a more burgundy hue. The plumes are made up of tiny flowers that close a little afterwards, to reopen at maturity. They then take on a more fluffy appearance.

Among ornamental grasses, Miscanthus is probably one of the most beautiful and least invasive. It has been the subject of numerous selections and is the origin of many cultivars. They all share their upright, regular and arched clump-like silhouette, with long leaves with a light median stripe, which turn a straw yellow in winter. 'Little Zebra' is also a wonderful perennial that grows on its own, perfect for contemplative gardeners. The king of terraces and balconies, it has its place in a modern garden with simple lines, a Japanese garden, or in large ensembles where it will lighten the flowerings. When winter comes, just like conifers, it lights up the garden with its reassuring silhouette. In an urban garden, it will awaken and soften concrete structures.