참억새 '스트릭투스'-Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus'

과명	Gramineae (벼과)	속명	Miscanthus (억새속)
학명	Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus'	추천명	참억새 '스트릭투스'
이명		외국명	Eulalia

 

Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of a wide range of soils from well-drained sandy soils to the heavy clays present in much of the St. Louis area. Prefers moist soils. Best in full sun. Less vigorous with decreased flowering and tendency to flop in too much shade. Tolerant of summer heat and humidity. Clumps slowly expand in circumference by short rhizomes, but typically retain tight clump shape. Foliage should be left standing throughout the winter for visual interest and crown protection. Cut foliage close to the ground in late winter just before new shoots appear. Propagate by division of the crown. This grass will reseed to the point of being somewhat invasive in the milder parts of its growing range. Mulch helps prevent reseeding.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Miscanthus sinensis, commonly known as Chinese silver grass, Japanese silver grass or eulalia grass, is a clump-forming warm season grass that typically grows to 3-7’ tall. It is native to lowlands and lower alpine areas in Japan, Korea and China. It has escaped gardens and naturalized in over 25 states in the Central and Eastern U.S. east of the Mississippi River plus in several western States including Colorado and California.

This grass features a dense clump of upward-arching stems and leaves which give it a rounded, fountain-like appearance. Linear leaves (to 3-4’ long and 3/8” wide) 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. Pink to red flowers in feathery, whisk-like, loose terminal panicles (8-10” long) bloom above the foliage from late August to October. Flower panicles gradually turn beige by mid-fall as the seeds mature. Flower panicles and foliage both retain good arching shape, beige color and ornamental interest throughout winter, with enhanced attractiveness often coming from a covering of new fallen snow.

Miscanthus sinensis will spread somewhat invasively in the landscape, particularly in some of the milder areas of its growing range. It often initially spreads to disturbed sites such as roadsides, railroad right-of-ways or woodland margins. Invasive potential for the species is significant, but is of less concern for many of the numerous ornamental cultivars, some of which are sterile.

Genus name comes from the Greek words miskos meaning a stem and anthos meaning flower in reference to the stalked spikelets.

Specific epithet means Chinese.

This grass was once included in the genus Eulalia, but was subsequently reclassified to the genus Miscanthus with retention of its common name of Eulalia grass by many gardeners.

'Strictus', commonly known as porcupine grass, is noted for its horizontally banded foliage and upright, columnar habit in which the erect leaf blades purportedly resemble porcupine quills. It typically grows in an upright clump to 5-6' tall with the flower plumes raising total overall height to 8-9' tall. Features medium green leaves variegated with yellow horizontal bands. Foliage fades to tan after frost. Tiny reddish-bronze flowers appear in tassel-like inflorescences which rise well above the foliage in late summer, gradually turning into silvery plumes in fall. Flower plumes persist well into winter providing good winter interest. 'Strictus' is very similar in appearance to M. s. 'Zebrinus', except 'Zebrinus' foliage is arching and tends to flop more, often requiring staking or other support.

www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=250976&isprofile=0&

 

Miscanthus Bandwidth

Miscanthus sinensis 'NCMS2B' PP#29,460