Grass · Poaceae family
Chinese Silvergrass
Miscanthus sinensis
In short a 10-second read
Chinese Silvergrass (grass) grows to 1.2–2.8 m tall and 0.9–1.8 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun to part shade, in soil from dry to moist. Hardy to −29 °C.
× spread 0.9–1.8 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun to part shade, in soil from dry to moist. Hardy to −29 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
dry to moist · watering: moderate
Soil: loamy, sandy, clay
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 2–5 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Pruning
cut back to the ground (February–March)
Planting
container plant: March–May, September–October
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −29 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −29 °C
- Dies back in winter and regrows in spring
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
Does Chinese Silvergrass tolerate shade?
It tolerates part shade (3–6 hours of sun), but not full shade.
How much space does Chinese Silvergrass need?
At maturity 0.9–1.8 m wide and 1.2–2.8 m tall; recommended spacing 100 cm.
Does Chinese Silvergrass survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −29 °C.
Where the data comes from
We compared the data in 24 expert sources. Last checked 28 September 2026.
Show sources (24)
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Miscanthus sinensis
- GBIF Occurrence Search API — Miscanthus sinensis
- GBIF Vernacular Names API — Miscanthus sinensis
- Wikidata (CC0) — Miscanthus sinensis
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Miscanthus sinensis
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — miscanthus sinensis
- Pladias — Databáza českej flóry a vegetácie
- EASIN (JRC) catalogue API — Miscanthus sinensis
- EPPO Global Database — Miscanthus sinensis
- Vykonávacie nariadenie Komisie (EÚ) 2016/1141 — zoznam inváznych nepôvodných druhov vzbudzujúcich obavy Únie
- Nariadenie vlády SR č. 449/2019 Z. z., príloha č. 1 — zoznam inváznych nepôvodných druhov rastlín vzbudzujúcich obavy SR
- Pergl et al. 2016 — Black
- BfN-Skripten 352 — Naturschutzfachliche Invasivitätsbewertung gebietsfremder Gefäßpflanzen
- Rozporządzenie Rady Ministrów, Dz.U. 2022 poz. 2649 — lista inwazyjnych gatunków obcych
- Miljøstyrelsen — Invasive plantearter i Danmark
- Pollen.lu — Réseau luxembourgeois de surveillance pollinique
- Allergieinformationsdienst (Helmholtz Munich) — Heuschnupfen: Gräserpollen ako spúšťač alergickej rinitídy
- Bamberger Staudengarten (Strobler), katalóg
- Foerster-Stauden, katalóg
- sarastro-stauden.com
- RHS - Miscanthus sinensis
- RHS - How to grow ornamental grasses
- Iowa State Extension - How to Plant Perennials
- RHS - Ornamental grasses: cutting back
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