Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ (Chinese Silver Grass)

Quite compact, award-winner Chinese Silver Grass ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ (Miscanthus sinensis) or ‘Little Silver Spider’ in English is a remarkable ornamental grass for many reasons. First, its modest size makes it extremely useful in the landscape and perfect for small gardens. Second, its fine-textured foliage, which consists of arching, narrow green leaves with white midribs, turns to warm, reddish-bronze shades in the fall and creates an exquisite fountain shape that stands out beautifully and sways gracefully in the slightest breeze. Finally, graceful, reddish flower plumes emerge in late summer that will delicately change to pale brown as they mature and provide a delightful winter interest. A very rewarding ornamental grass!

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Deciduous, this Chinese Silver Grass can be easily grown in a dense, upright clump up to 4 feet tall (120 cm) and 2-3 ft wide (60-90 cm).
• Performs best in full sun in moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Protect from excessive winter wet. Drought and salt tolerant once established.
• It is versatile and can be used as a graceful accent plant in the garden, massed to create screens or hedges, planted in borders, coastal gardens, city gardens, cottage gardens, or prairie plantings.
• This Chinese Silver Grass is generally pest and disease free. It is deer and rabbit resistant but attracts birds.
• Cut foliage to the ground in late winter before new shoots appear. Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring.
• Native to Asia, the species form of Miscanthus sinensis is invasive in several US states. The invasive potential is of less concern for many of its ornamental cultivars, some of which are sterile. However, as a general rule, do not plant more than one cultivar on your property, and use only a vegetatively propagated cultivar that has shown little or no evidence of self-seeding in your area.
• Discover beautiful U.S. native plant alternatives.