Miscanthus are reliable and versatile ornamental grasses, also known as Elephant Grass. Arching green foliage develops from spring onwards each year, followed by feathery plumes of white through to pink flowers in late summer, which give textural interest and movement to the border which last through autumn and well into winter. Taller varieties provide a useful and attractive screen, they also bring texture, height and movement to mixed borders. During autumn the foliage and plumes will become a pale caramel colour, and will remain until cut back in winter or early spring.

How to plant

— Plant Miscanthus bare roots in spring when supplied between February and May. They must be attended to soon after delivery and can't be stored without moisture and light for long. If you can't plant on the day of delivery, remove the roots from the packaging within 1-2 days and place in a bowl of water outdoors to soak, then plant within a week.

— All bare root ornamental grasses should be potted up and grown on for some time prior to transferring into borders.

— Soak the roots in water for 3-6 hours prior to planting. Pot into temporary 2 litre (or 15-20cm diameter) pots, using a good quality multi-purpose compost with added grit to aid drainage.

— Plant with the roots fully submerged in the compost. There will be some old foliage from the previous year which is cut at around 10cm. This should be left exposed above the soil surface. New shoots will emerge from the base of these dried stems.

— Grow them on in a sheltered spot outside. They can be transplanted to suitable growing positions after 2-4 months or once growth is established and the plants easily come out of the temporary pots with the soil held intact by the roots. When you see roots starting to emerge from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, it is an indicator that the plant is ready to be transplanted.

— When they’re ready to plant into the garden, choose a position in full sun or light/partial shade with moist but free draining soil. Dig over the area first to aerate the soil and remove any weeds. Miscanthus tolerate most soil types but do need good drainage. They don’t typically tolerate wet soils. Dig over the area first to aerate the soil and remove any weeds.

— It is recommend to add multipurpose compost to the planting hole when planting, this will add nutrients to the immediate area and provide a soft medium for new roots to grow easily.

— Position your your plant into the hole and backfill the hole with soil. Firm down after planting, ensuring the base of the stems remain level with the soil surface. Water thoroughly after planting.

— Miscanthus can also grow well in patio containers. If your Miscanthus is intended to remain in a patio container, you can plant the bare root directly into a 30cm+ diameter patio container with fresh multipurpose compost, there is no need to pot up and grow on first in this instance.

— Miscanthus should be spaced roughly 40-50cm apart from each other.

— Monitor your newly-planted Miscanthus for pest damage and remove any excess growth from neighbouring plants in the border to reduce competition.

— This ornamental grass is fully hardy and doesn’t require winter protection.

— Water-in after planting and keep hydrated when in growth, particularly during the first year. Once fully settled in, they prefer quite dry conditions.

— Bare root grasses will have some dried foliage from the past year still intact, young shoots may be visible. Miscanthus supplied in late spring will have some pale shoots which have already emerged. The shoots will soon start to green up after planting, watering and being exposed to daylight, additional new shoots will also emerge through May, June and July.

Aftercare

— This grass is perennial the the foliage will naturally die back in autumn. It should be cut back to around 10-20cm above ground level each year during late autumn or early spring. New growth will emerge from the base of the plant in spring.

— Miscanthus forms a clump over time and the show gets better every year. Clumps that have become too large can be dug up and split into halves or quarters with a sharp spade in winter or early spring. Each piece can then be planted separately.

— If cutting back the past year’s growth in spring, be careful to avoid cutting the tips off the new foliage as it is emerging.

Read further general instructions about planting bare-root ornamental grasses