Search Utilities Plant Database Search by Plant Name Advanced Search Search by size, origins, color, cultural needs, etc. Website Search Search for any word Site Map Retail Locator Plant Listings PLANT TYPE PLANT GEOGRAPHY PLANT INDEX ALL PLANT LIST PLANT IMAGE INDEX PLANT INTROS SPECIALTY CROPS NEW  2020 PLANTS PRIME LIST   for NOVEMBER  Weather Station

Products > Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'   Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' - Morning Light Japanese Silver Grass       Habit and Cultural Information Category: Grass Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grasses) Origin: Japan (Asia) Variegated Foliage: Yes Flower Color: Red Brown Bloomtime: Fall Height: 4-5 feet Width: 4-5 feet Exposure: Full Sun Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs Winter Hardiness: < 0 °F Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' (Morning Light Japanese Silver Grass) - A very attractive fine-textured ornamental clump-forming grass that grows to 5 feet tall with 1/4 inch wide leaves that have distinct white bands along both leaf margins that give the plant a shimmering look. Full sun is best to bring out its color. Tolerates relatively dry conditions with only infrequent irrigation but looks better when irrigated occasionally to regularly. Hardy to USDA Zone 6-7 (-10 degrees F). This very attractive cultivar is somewhat similar to Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracilimus' but smaller with a creamy-white variegation on the edge and mid-vein. It is thought to have been in cultivation in Japan for over 100 years and was introduced into the US by Dr. John Creesh and Sylvester March in 1976 from the private collection of Dr. Masato Yokoi. The name Miscanthus was given to this genus of perennial grasses native to Japan and the Philippines by the 19th century Swedish botanist Nils Johan Andersson. It comes from the Greek words 'miskos' which means "stem" or "stalk" and 'anthos', meaning "flowers" in reference to the seed heads having stalked spikelets. We received our first plant of this great cultivar from Native Sons Nursery in Arroyo Grande, California in 1990 and first listed it for sale in our 1991 catalog.  The information on this page is based on research conducted about this plant in the San Marcos Growers library, from online sources, and from observations made of the crops growing in our nursery, plants in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens where we may have observed it. We also have incorporated comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from those who may have additional information, particularly if this information includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'.     [MORE INFO]