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| Looking to mix in the airy texture of a few ornamental hardy grasses with my conifer collection.
Showy seed, fall color and variegated are all open game. I really like the one pictured below. Any ideas on an ID?
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| Sorry, I cannot give the grass in your picture a name, but I am sure someone here can. Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose' would be my recommendation to check into. It is slow to break dormancy, but the smokey rose bloom that begins by mid to late June and continues till frost is outstanding. Often given a zone 6 rating, but it has been with me in zone 5 for 9 years. I have divided it several times to give to admirers and it has always been a survivor.
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| There's a good possibility that the grass you picture is Miscanthus gracillimus, a handsome grass but one that breaks down by late fall. My favorite Miscanthus, and perhaps my favorite grass, is M. 'Morning Light', beautiful shape all season and handsome plumes that last all winter. If I could have only one grass, this would be it. Also a very nice grass is Ravenna grass (Erianthus ravennae) a huge grass, over 12 feet in bloom, that also holds up all winter. Cutting it back is a major production. For a small grass, Little Bluestem "The Blues' is lovely all season with streaks of maroon in the blue stems as the weather turns cold. The little seed heads are poofs near the tops of the plant. Calamgrostis 'Karl Foester' is upright and narrow and comes into bloom in summer. It doesn't hold up well into winter, but it's gorgeous in its prime. C. bracytricha seems not to be well known, but it handles partial shade very well and has unusual diamond shaped seed heads. Lovely. All the grasses are beautiful when backlit by the low winter sun. Ca |
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- Posted by sandy0225 z5 Indiana (northerntropics@sbcglobal.net) on Mon, Sep 26, 11 at 8:07
| that one in your picture looks a lot like miscanthus malepartus, but many of the miscanthus grasses look very similar. You could also post on the ornamental grasses forum... |
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- Posted by coolplantsguy z6 Ontario (My Page) on Mon, Sep 26, 11 at 8:27
| Although a great variety of Miscanthus sinensis, the above is not 'Gracillimus' as the foliage is too wide. As sandy mentioned, it is hard to tell exactly which variety is pictured, as there are so many. Otherwise, I find it hard not to like most ornamental grasses. Calamagrostis, several varieties, my favourite is 'Elderado' Of course, there are the "smaller" grasses (e.g. Hakonechloa), and the Sedges (Carex), but we'll leave that for another post. The popular Festuca glauca is a dog IMO, at least in the hot humid summers of the north-east. |
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- Posted by gardenweed_z6a 5b/6a N CT (My Page) on Mon, Sep 26, 11 at 8:48
| My all-time most favorite is Pennisetum alopecuroides/dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln.' It's easy/low maintenance and so elegant in my modest garden where the taller grasses wouldn't blend so well. I've planted divisions at either end of my granite garden bench--will post photos next year when they've reached maturity. I also have Calamagrostis 'Karl Forester' in my butterfly bed. I like it--it's sort of "just there" but everyone who passes by comments on it. Carex/Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance' is planted as a border along the curved edge of my dappled sun slope on the north side of the property. Like the others, aside from an early spring trim, it's maintenance/pest/ problem free. From a single plant I bought 5+ years ago, I've divided it twice and have more than a dozen divisions now planted in other beds. I had Phalaris/ribbon grass growing in a tough spot but once I had enough winter sown perennials, I dug/yanked it out because it spread and grew into other plants nearby. |
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| Appreciate the suggestions. I know I was a bit open ended with the question but it won't limited the suggestions then. I'll be sure to check them out this spring. Here is what I ordered this fall... Miscanthus sinensis Dixieland Alot of the same perhaps, but I ordered one of each to see how they perform. The one pictured were blooming mid-October in Chicago. Not sure if that helps. Perhaps I ordered it unknowninly with my selections above!
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| Whaas, I really like my M. sinensis Purpurascens. You won't be disappointed. It goes through some nice changes and is always beautiful. Gets a great orange color quite late in the season. I have a grass that looks a bit like the grass in your photo. Not sure if it's the same but it might give you the look you're going for. Miscanthus giganteus gets to be about 9-10' in my garden. It's a pretty large specimen and is another grass that is beautiful as it goes through its changes. I actually have it in a small bed only 6' wide planted along with tall Joe Pye weed, hibiscus and a bunch of other fall plants. It has been in for quite a while and has formed a nice, but not overwhelming clump. I do have to stake it, but that may be either too much shade from the fence it's planted in front of or too rich soil. This was it on Sept 19 a couple years ago. The plant is actually on the other side of the picket fence but it always sprawls over.
This was Oct 17. Most winters it's trashed from 3' of snow but at least through December it holds up nicely and makes quite a statement. Another tall grass I've become quite fond of is M. sinensis 'Huron Sunrise'. That gets a beautiful coppery/bronze color and looks more like fireworks. This is it on Oct 30 |
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| T2D, last pic...great shot! Bloom combined with the fall color is quite stunning. Imagine that combined with Picea pungens and a red flowering mum. Now that would be a patriotic fireworks show! |
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| Wow, that Huron Sunrise October shot is jaw-dropping gorgeous! None of my Miscanthus seem to turn the colors promised. That's awesome! I will cast another vote for Karley Rose. Outstanding! Mine is in its third year and now huge - need to divide it next spring for sure. Karl Foerster is also very cool. Love that it is very erect. My favorite Miscanthus is Adagio. Doesn't get as tall as other Miscanthus, and when they say it is a prolific bloomer they aren't kidding. Blooms stand all winter for me, and we did have a couple of heavy snows last year in TN. Hameln is another cute little Pennisetum. Mine has stayed fairly small and makes a cute accent next to the sidewalk. |
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- Posted by coolplantsguy z6 Ontario (My Page) on Tue, Sep 27, 11 at 11:24
| FWIW, the Huron series (bred by Martin Quinn in Kincardine, Ontario) should be a zone hardier than most other Miscanthus varieties. |
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| blue grasses I really like are the heliotrichon blue oats while the colour of elymus magellanica is outstanding - a pure chalky sky blue, without the fearsome invasiveness of blue lyme grass. Giant oat grass (Stipa gigantea) is stunning backlit by the sun -as are nearly all the miscanthus. For movement, stipa tenuissima and S.barbata are arresting and for lovely golden foliage, what can be nicer or easier than milium effusum (Bowles Golden grass). I am currently loving a small molinia with deep deep red flowers - M.Edith Dudku (I think, spelling might be a bit dodgy) Not familiar with the bluestems here in the UK (but always on the lookout for seeds - must checkout Chilterns but suspect they need too much moisture than what is available in semi-arid East Anglia) |
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- Posted by hostaholic2 zone 4 MN (My Page) on Fri, Sep 30, 11 at 0:04
| To add to the other beauties listed previously panicum (switchgrass) 'Prairie Fire' colors up early, Little Bluestem 'Blue Heaven' fall blooming feather reed grass, blue gramma grass ;Blonde Ambition' Indian Grass 'Sioux Blue' is a gorgeous blue but has not stood up to a kitten thinking it's her private jungle. lol They will all go down when the snow piles up. |
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- Posted by buyorsell888 Zone 8 Portland OR (My Page) on Fri, Sep 30, 11 at 11:48
| I have a small yard so I like smaller grasses. I do love M. sinensis Purpurascens and 'Little Zebra' and 'Gold Bar'. I pulled 'Karley Rose' out of the ground and put her in a pot as she grew too large for where I had her. I have 'Little Bunny', 'Piglet', 'Little Honey' and 'Burgundy Bunny' all small fountain grasses. 'Elijah Blue' fescue does really well here. |
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| Zebra grass, old shot from fall 2008: Same planting, other side: Dwarf Zebra grass "Porcupine": The rarely mentioned on the board Chasmanthium, with "Porcupine" in the background (sorry don't have a shot of the Chas. with clearer detail, but you can see the dangling flowers if you look closely): |
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| All, thanks for the excellent suggestions...and as always impressive pics. They are surely worth a 1K words. Zebra grass is going to be a nice contrast with Pinus parviflora. I received my Santa Rosa order...most grasses where only $5. Can't beat that. I have them all planted in a grouping for now. Plenty more to add to the wishlist for spring! |
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| Oh, the wishlist hasn't stopped so keep the suggestions (and pics) coming along! Cheers |
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| Evergreen, variegated, shade tolerant, Carex 'Ice Dance' in front on bottom left. Even in mid summer when dwarfed by hosta it brightens up the garden. All winter long I can see it from the house windows & in another garden when I pull up the driveway.
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miscanthus adagio--- Duane |
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