Ornamental Grasses: 'Cabaret' Miscanthus

Ornamental grasses do great in our area.  They are easy to grow, don't require a lot of care, and they capitalize on our frequently windy conditions by adding movement and texture to the landscape.

Some of the most popular ornamental grasses for our area Miscanthus and Pennisetum (fountain grass).  The biggest difference that you'll notice is that the Miscanthus varieties have a fan- or tassel-shaped bloom while the Pennisetum varieties have more of a plume-type bloom more similar in appearance to cattails.

 

'Cabaret' Miscanthus is one of my absolute favorites! You can see how it's striped foliage stands in contrast to the darker foliage of the rosemary and crape myrtle in the background. It's perfect for brightening up a shady corner of your yard!

Here's a close-up where you can still see the results of a late shearing that damaged the tips of the new growth.  'Cabaret' Miscanthus has wide leaves with strong vertical creamy white stripes.

My grasses are just starting to flush out after a fairly late shearing. You can still see some of last year's "leftovers" around the base. 

Most Miscanthus and Pennisetum varieties will grow to around four or five feet tall, bloom in the late summer, and are available in variegated (stiped) and solid green varieties.

All of the varieties that I know of are hardy in our area with the exception of Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum purpurea) which is used here as an annual. I guess that's the price you pay for such striking burgundy foliage!