Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'
Family - Poaceae
Category - Grass
Origin - Raised in Japan
Year of Introduction - Introduced to Western gardens in 1976
Season of Interest - Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H6
Height - 1.5m
Width - 75cm or more
Location - The Pond Garden
Description: Graceful, clump-forming Perennial grass. Long, linear, arching leaves are mid-green and have white margins, which give the plant a silvery appearance. Tall panicles of silvery-pink flowers are produced in autumn and will remain attractive into winter. Flowers may not be produced following a cool summer. Kurt Bleumel, a renowned US nurseryman, first introduced this grass to the US National Arboretum in 1976, though it had been cultivated in Japan for much longer.
Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Synonym - Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus Variegatus'
Flower:
Silvery-pink spikelet flowers are produced in panicles in September and October. Flowers may not be produced after a cool summer, and may not be produced at all in cooler parts of the country.
Flower colour: Silver, pink
Flower shape: Spikelets in panicles
Flowering time: September, October
Foliage:
Linear, mid-green leaves have white margins and an elegant arching habit. Leaves turn golden yellow in autumn and eventually fade to buff-beige as winter approaches. The foliage usually retains its structure and will continue to be attractive into winter.
Foliage Senescence: Deciduous
Foliage Shape: Linear
Autumn Colour: Yellow
Propagation:
Division.
Cultivation:
Best in full sun or partial shade in moisture-retentive, but well-drained soil that is reasonably fertile.