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Silver Feather

Miscanthus sinensis (miss-KANTH-us sih-NEN-sis SIL-ber-fed-er)

Family: Poaceae Unknown Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Silver Feather is a cultivar of Miscanthus sinensis , a deciduous, perennial, ornamental grass. Silver Feather is a flowering grass that matures in 2 to 5 years to about 8 feet high with a broad and arching form and a loose open manner. Large, feathery plumes emerge a shimmering pinkish-silver in late summer to give this grass its name, 'Silver Feather'. The flowers bloom continuously throughout the season and stand well above the clump of foliage, making them visible from quite a distance. The leaves appear to be solid green from a distance, though they do have white midribs. Silver Feathre grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It tolerates a range of soil types, including clay. It can be pruned of dead foliage and old flower stems in spring. Miscanthus sinensis is considered invasive in several states where it invades high quality grasslands and forms aggressive colonies. However, Silver Feather is considered sterile and does not spread aggressively. This cultivar was awarded the Garden Merit Award by the Royal Horticulture Society. Disease, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests. More information on Miscanthus sinensis .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 42 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Cerastium tomentosum Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Nandina domestica 'Fire Power'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 7 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Broad; Clumping; Vase
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
< 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Deep green blades with silver mid-ribs.
Flower color
Gray/Silver; Pink; White
Flower value
Good Cut; Good Dried; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Panicle; Spike
Flower detail
Large, white flowers with a slightly pink tone blossom in late summer.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Resistant to deer
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Pond
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Water Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Screen/Privacy; Specimen
Garden tags
#drought tolerant #deer resistant #ornamental grass #salt tolerant #bushy #flowering #sterile #perennial grass #variegated #attractive leaves
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Poor Soil; Rabbits; Salt

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.