Chinese silver grass

Miscanthus sinensis

© Barry A. Rice, The Nature Conservancy


© Barry A. Rice, The Nature Conservancy


Description

A dense, upright, clumping grass. Basal leaves arise from a large central clump. Leaf margins are sharp and slightly serrated; leaf middle vein is whitish on the top of the leaf and raised on the bottom. It bears large, feathery fan-like flowers that are bloom pink or reddish in color, fading to silver as season progresses. Seeds are fluffy with a twisted bristle tip.

Habitat

Prefers moist, well-drained soil and areas with sufficient sunlight; abandoned home sites where it was planted as an ornamental; shores of reservoirs, bushland edges, roadsides, forests, old fields following fires.

Distribution

Spreading into riparian areas in and near Portland

Impacts

Fire hazard, forms aggressive colonies

Dispersal Methods

Seeds dispersed by wind, vehicles, shoes, clothing; garden dumping (rhizomal spread). Spreading by seeds in south Water Front Park in Portland and is suspected that it is cross-pollinating with native Miscanthus species.

Prevention

Do not buy this plant as an ornamental. If it already exists in your garden, do not dump clippings into a natural area.

Listings

Not listed

Factsheets

Fact Sheet from the Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual
Western Invasives Network Chinese Silver Grass Factsheet

Photos

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Miscanthus+sinensis

Other Links

Species Profile from Weeds of Blue Mountains Bushland
In-Depth Report on Miscanthus as a Biofuel

CWMA Warnings

Four County