Giant Chinese silver grass

Profile

Family

Poaceae

Habit

perennial

Height

3 m

Spread

3.5 m

Growth

fast

Lifespan

20 years

Hardiness

zone 4–9

Shade tolerance

light shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay

Soil moisture

semi-dry – very wet

pH

5.5 – 7.5

Synonyms

Miscanthus

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: Für sinensis gibt es Meldungen, dass Unreifer Blütenstand essbar ist.

Medicinal: The juice of young stems is utilized for dispersing toxins, dissolving blood clots, diverting extravasated blood, and alleviating inflammation. The plant has diuretic and cooling properties.

Other uses: Carbon Farming Solutions – Industrial Crops: Biomass (crops not grown for the food industry. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include timber and straw, paper and cardboard, as well as textiles). Only a few perennial industrial crops have been properly domesticated. Those that have show significantly higher yields. Miscanthus x giganteus is partially domesticated. An excellent biomass producer in temperate climates, requiring very little nitrogen fertilizer. Most of the giant miscanthus is used for biofuel but could also serve as feedstock for a range of bio-based materials. Livestock feed: Bank. A potentially good candidate for contour hedgerows in agroforestry. An excellent windbreak. A popular ornamental plant – Outstanding autumn color that remains attractive in winter.

Growing

As a rule of thumb for site selection, the comparison to maize cultivation is made. A good maize site is also a good miscanthus site, with optimal conditions being deep, well-rooted, humus-rich clay soils with good water drainage, nutrient retention capacity, and rainfall between 500 and 600 mm during the growing season. Light, sandy to loamy-sandy soils are also suitable for cultivation, although inadequate water supply between June and September (main growing season) can be a limiting factor. However, a total crop failure is almost impossible due to the underground storage organ. Miscanthus cultivation can take place on a wide range of soils and is often initially tested on marginal sites in many farms, with success often being surprisingly positive. Elevations above 700 meters above sea level are generally unsuitable, similar to maize cultivation. Being a warm-loving C4 plant, it requires sites with an average temperature of at least 8°C, as late frosts can damage young shoots. Sites with deep, humus-rich, sandy loam soils with good soil structure and water drainage, as well as high nutrient retention capacity, are particularly suitable for miscanthus cultivation. Cold and waterlogged soils with poor aeration are not suitable. On very sandy soils with a low water table, the amount and seasonal distribution of rainfall determine the yield level. Climate: temperate to subtropical. Humidity: moist. A sterile (non-invasive) hybrid of M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus. It grows very rapidly, reaching a height of 4 m in 15 months, yet is easy to maintain. Moderate water requirement, but sensitive to excessive water at the roots. Drought-resistant. Well-drained soil. Full sun. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: Replanting. Management: Hay (Describing non-invasive management systems in cultivation).

Propagation

Vegetative propagation methods are necessary because Giant Miscanthus does not produce viable seeds. Rhizomes

Value for wildlife

Lebensraum: Vögel nutzen Halme als Winterquartier. In Mitteleuropa wird Riesen-Chinaschilf von einer großen Artenzahl von Kleinlebewesen wie Spinnen und Käfern als „Überwinterungsquartier“ genutzt. In den über den Winter aufgeräumten Agrarlandschaften nutzen Rehe und Wildschweine die Miscanthusbestände als Zufluchtsort. Insekten finden Schutz in den dichten Horsten.

Origin & habitat

Moist meadows can be found on slopes in lowland and mountainous areas throughout Japan.

Unknown in its natural habitat.

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