Miscanthus sinensis It is a perennial herbaceous plant, also known as Chinese silver grass, eulalia, maiden or zebra. It belongs to the grass family, a genus that includes at least 20 recognized species of herbaceous plants. They are perfect for growing in marginal areas or near waterways.
It is native to the Far East in countries such as Japan, Korea and China, in other places in the temperate zone its cultivation is common for ornamental purposes, however, in some areas of North America it is considered a pest.
Features
This grass it has abundant foliage that makes it very attractiveHence, its cultivation for ornamental purposes, and in general it appears with an imposing and arched appearance that makes large and showy bushes.
It grows up to two meters in height and in exceptional cases up to 4 meters, the rhizomes of the plant are underground. The leaves are very thin and abundant, which contributes to the formation of species of large balls of bright green color with bands of yellow tone that appear transversely.
These leaves are 18 to 75 cm long and 0,3 to 2 cm wide. These are kept in good condition and abundant throughout the year, this is how it is always seen with lots of foliage and always the usual color regardless of the time of year.
Flowering occurs in the fall with an incredible visual spectaclesince it forms a kind of white feather dusters, which change color in winter and turn silver. Its flowers are widely used in artistic floral arrangements.
The fruits are produced during the winter, they are cream-colored and not very attractive and are not attractive to birds so you do not have to worry about them coming and damaging you. Another of its characteristics is that has the ability to withstand very cold climates wellwhere temperatures are around -18º
The roots are very shallow which makes its location in the garden easier even when there are other plants aroundNow, to have indoors they are not at all recommended in any case on the terrace.
Care
To plant it you need a wide space where the substrate should be looseand to provide the drainage it requires, avoid clay soils as they are not favorable and instead those that are sandy are ideal.
Garden soil provided it has good drainage, it is perfect for its cultivation and cares, you can also use a commercial substrate as it has everything you need for the plant.
The good growth of the Miscanthus sinensis is also linked to sunlightTherefore, you must place it in a space where it has direct natural light or in a slight semi-shade, as long as the temperatures do not exceed 20º on average since it does not tolerate high temperatures.
Caring for the Miscanthus sinensis
This needs moderate watering throughout the year, always taking special care not to exceed the amounts of wateras this rots the plant. It has a moderate resistance to drought, in this sense with 2 or 3 irrigations a week are enough.
In winter you must take care that the substrate does not accumulate water on the surface, in this season it practically does not require watering. It requires fertilizers preferably with mineral fertilizerssince they benefit the plant with the supply of nutrients, in autumn and summer seasons they should be applied weekly.
The proper time to apply pruning is ending winter just before new foliage begins to sproutThis way you avoid that the old or damaged leaves are mixed with the new ones that are about to come out in the spring.
There are two ways to propagate the plant, one of them is through the seeds which are collected for sowing in the spring. The second is by division of the plantwhose process is carried out at the end of the winter season.
Uses
Frequently It is used to form massifs with several of themalso to make crops only with equal and isolated specimens, on the banks of water sources, such as shrubs, in the florist the spikes or inflorescences are used for flower arrangements since it is considered to have a high ornamental value.
Are they prone to pests?
If you do not receive the minimum care and the application of the indicated treatments, can be affected by pests and aphids y red spiders. This is a plant that in general is very simple to care for, ideal for open spaces where you can group them so that they fully show off all their beauty.
