Miscanthus sinensis Strictus - Silvergrass

The Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus', known as Chinese silver grass or Eulalia, is sometimes called the 'porcupine plant' due to its slightly prickly appearance and narrow growing habit that is undeniably elegant. Its foliage appears variegated with golden blond when the sun shines through its narrow leaves marked with pale yellow and green lateral stripes. Its inflorescences appear in late summer in pink-purple panicles, turning to white-cream when ripe. Original and poetic, this tall Chinese silver grass will take its rightful place and integrate easily into flower beds. It is a bright and floriferous grass, a little slow to establish, preferring warm and sunny locations in ordinary soil that retains moisture.

The Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' is a plant from the Poaceae family, native to China and Japan (in the pan-Himalayan region up to an altitude of 2000 m (6562ft)). This tall perennial grass, with its clumping habit and short rhizomes, forms a strong tuft with an erect and trailing habit, easily reaching a height of 1.70 m (6ft) and a spread of 1.00 m (3ft). The leaves are thin and narrow, very long, flexible, medium green horizontally striped with pale yellow. Long floral stems emerge from the foliage from September to November, in the form of silky digitate spikes measuring 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12in) long, pink-purple in colour. When fading, they take on a silvery beige hue. The plumes are made up of tiny pinkish flowers that close slightly afterwards, only to reopen when ripe. They then take on a paler and more downy appearance. Its growth is quite slow, but it eventually becomes spectacular.

*This term refers, for example, to a type of grass whose rhizomes are not trailing.

The variegated Chinese silver grass is a very bright plant. It has deciduous foliage, but remains interesting for much of the winter. It is a "herb" that is made for large flower beds, to which it brings a beautiful structure and plenty of light. It is also suitable for wild gardens and contemplative gardeners. Just plant it among asters, behind garden chrysanthemums or repeat-flowering roses, and then watch it grow and fill out, play with the wind and the low autumn light, and bend under the rain showers. When winter comes, like conifers, this plant lights up the garden with its reassuring silhouette. It has its place in modern gardens with clean lines, alongside bamboo or ferns if the soil is moist. Miscanthus grasses are also well-suited for planting as hedges, creating a screen along a path, isolating a part of the garden, or simply hiding the view of the street or a neighbour's garden. In this usage, they offer a slightly surreal walk amidst the vegetation. These grasses bring volume and texture to the boundaries of the garden, creating a natural transition to the open areas. In an urban garden, Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' goes well with concrete structures. They can also be grown in large containers. They can be planted near water features, but in well-drained soil, projecting their graceful silhouette onto the surface of the water in a very poetic scene. Finally, this Eulalia can be used to create beautiful dried bouquets. Some varieties of giant Miscanthus are currently being studied as they offer real prospects for biomass production or fiber panels.

These plants have several advantages: they do not deplete the soil, tolerate polluted soils well, can be incinerated without valorization, or even used for biofuel production.