Miscanthus sinensis Silberspinne

Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberspinne' takes on brilliant hues in autumn. It forms a dense, arching clump, reaching a large size. The fairly loose panicles, red tinged with white, bloom in September, becoming silvery and fluffy at maturity. It is interesting from late summer to the heart of winter, when its plumes are delicately dusted with frost. This plant is not invasive, its inflorescences are perfect for dry bouquets. It is easy to grow in any ordinary soil, not too dry to moist, in full sun.

Silberspinne Maiden Grass, also known as Chinese Silver Grass, belongs to the Poaceae family. It is a horticultural selection derived from Miscanthus sinensis, native to Far East Asia and Oceania. This grass with short rhizomes grows in a non-invasive clump, it is tufted. The upright and cascading habit reaches 2 m in height, with a spread of 80 cm. The leaves are thin, very long, flexible, initially dark green veined with white, then burgundy-red-copper in autumn. Long floral stems emerge from the foliage from September to November, in the form of digitate and silky spikes 20 cm long, pink-reddish tinged with white. As they fade, they take on a silvery hue.

Designed for large mass plantings, Maiden Grasses bring a beautiful structure and a lot of grace. They are suitable for wild settings as well as modern gardens with clean lines. Miscanthus are well suited for hedge planting, creating a screen along a driveway, for example, to isolate the garden from the street. In urban areas, Miscanthus 'Silberspinne' softens concrete structures. Finally, this Maiden Grass allows for lovely dried arrangements.

Some varieties of giant Miscanthus are currently under study, as they offer real potential for biomass creation or fiber panels. These plants have several advantages: they do not deplete the soil, tolerate polluted soils well, can be incinerated or even used for biofuel production.