Miscanthus floridulus

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Miscanthus floridulus
Giant Miscanthus; Giant Chinese Silver Grass; Japanese
Silver Grass
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History of Fruiting
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Other Plants Like This: Miscanthus

FAMILY Poaceae (Grass Family)
HABIT
RANGE

Other Plants in the Grass Family

Grass/sedge | Rhizomatous
SE China, Japan, Taiwan, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, French Polynesia, Fiji; Introduced in Arkansas,
Missouri, and Hawaii

LEAF TYPE

Deciduous

FLOWERS

Silver; brown (Silvery-white when mature; reddish-tan when young)

FOLIAGE
COLOR
LANDSCAPE
USES

;;

Miscanthus floridus is a robust ornamental grass that can stand as tall as 15 ft and spread out more than 8 ft across. The
leaves are flat, slightly folded, up to 3 feet long by 1-5 inches wide, and deep green with a white midvein and arch
gracefully outward. In late summer or autumn silvery silky plumes are produced that are held high above the leaves on
strong stems. The plumes stay silvery-white, but the foliage turns beige and russet in early winter. The leaves eventually
drop off in winter, leaving just the vertical stems.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHY TOUR - Florida
Miscanthus floridus does not refer specifically to the state of Florida. Both the plant and the state were named from the
same Latin root word meaning 'flower'.

BOTANICAL
DESCRIPTION

HARDINESS
SUN
REQUIREMENTS

Robust, tufted, evergreen perennial. Culms stout, to 2.5m, glabrous. Leaves elongate, to 3cm diam., light glaucous green,
scabrous at margins, pubesc. above towards base; ligules truncate, to 2mm; sheaths glabrous. Inflorescense erect,
pyramidal panicles to 50cm, white, puberulent-scaberulous with axillary tufted-pubescent; racemes many, to 20cm,
slender, branched at base, subsessile; spikelets obliquely patent, lanceolate, to 3.5mm, acute, with tufted-pubescent to
6mm at base; glumes herbaceous, glabrous; awn to 1cm.
USDA Zone 5 (Coldest zone where hardy)
Sun

03/03/16 11:02 AM

Miscanthus floridulus

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Individual Location for Miscanthus floridulus:
(To display an individual plant location map and plant details, click the number in the table.)
Map
Key
1

Accession
Number

Year

Location

921062*1 1992 Ornamental Grass Bed

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FRUITING:
When Miscanthus floridulus has been observed fruiting
at Denver Botanic Gardens

2007

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Images Denver Botanic Gardens

Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

03/03/16 11:02 AM

Miscanthus floridulus

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Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

Miscanthus floridulus - Click to Enlarge

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Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York Street, Denver, CO 80206

Photography Denver Botanic Gardens

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