참억새 '모닝 라이트'-Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'

 

과명	Gramineae (벼과)	속명	Miscanthus (억새속)
전체학명	Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'	추천명	참억새 '모닝 라이트'
이명		외국명	Eulalia

 

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.

'Morning Light' is a eulalia grass cultivar that is noted for its very narrow green leaves with white variegation on the margins. Foliage has an overall silvery appearance. Typically forms an upright, rounded clump of foliage growing 4-6' tall. Not much fall color, with blades eventually turning straw-beige by winter. Tiny reddish-copper flowers appear in long tassel-like inflorescences above the foliage in mid to late September, gradually turning into silvery white plumes as the seeds mature. Blooms later than most Miscanthus cultivars. Flower plumes persist well into winter providing good winter interest. 'Morning Light' is a somewhat smaller, more fine-textured version of the popular M. s. 'Gracillimus'.

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a660