Miscanthus floridulus: Uses (Ethnobotany)
The culms are used for arrow-shafts in Papua New Guinea and as support and drying racks for climbing vegetables and tobacco in the Philippines
Plant Profile: Miscanthus floridulus
Taxonomy: Miscanthus floridulusNames
Giant Miscanthus, Pacific Island Silvergrass, Tokiwa susuki
Phonetic Spelling:miss-KANTH-us flor-ID-yoo-lus
Genus:Miscanthus
Species:floridulus
Family:Poaceae
The largest species of Miscanthus is characterized by its coarse leaves and a prominent central rachis that supports a feathery flower cluster. In autumn, the foliage takes on a stunning purplish hue, which gradually fades to a tan color by winter. This plant thrives in the lowland regions of Japan, Taiwan, and various Pacific Islands, showing a greater tolerance for wetter soils compared to other Miscanthus varieties.
Miscanthus floridulus Feature Summary
Miscanthus floridulus Image Gallery
Tags
#fall color
#wildlife plant
#salt tolerant
#winter interest
#year-round interest
#cpp
#deer resistant
#food source fall
#bird friendly
Similar Plants
Miscanthus floridulus Feature Summary
Attributes
The culms are used for arrow-shafts in Papua New Guinea and as support and drying racks for climbing vegetables and tobacco in the Philippines
Birds are attracted to the seeds
Perennial
Flowers
Large white inflorescence in mid-summer turning buff color in fall; dominate central rachis.
Red/Burgundy
Cream/Tan
Good Cut
Showy
Good Dried
Fall
Winter
Leaves
3 feet long, deep green with white mid vein, turning purplish hues in autumn, gradually turning tan by winter.
Green
White
Variegated
Purple/Lavender
Cream/Tan
Simple
Alternate
Lanceolate
Serrate
Showy
Long-lasting
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Mounding
Clumping
Cascading
Medium
Low
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Wet
3 feet-6 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Fruit
Caryopsis
Stem
Landscape
Cottage Garden
Water Garden
Mass Planting
Accent
Screen/Privacy
Specimen
Security
Deer
Pollution
Wind
Salt
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Coastal
Pond
Songbirds
Miscanthus floridulus Image Gallery
Miscanthus floridulus Attributes
Miscanthus floridulus: Wildlife Value
Birds are attracted to the seeds
Miscanthus floridulus: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Miscanthus floridulus: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Miscanthus floridulus Flowers
Miscanthus floridulus: Flower Description
Large white inflorescence in mid-summer turning buff color in fall; dominate central rachis.
Miscanthus floridulus: Flower Color
Cream/Tan
Red/Burgundy
Miscanthus floridulus: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Miscanthus floridulus: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Miscanthus floridulus: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Miscanthus floridulus Leaves
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Description
3 feet long, deep green with white mid vein, turning purplish hues in autumn, gradually turning tan by winter.
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Color
Green
Variegated
White
Miscanthus floridulus: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Cream/Tan
Purple/Lavender
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Miscanthus floridulus: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Miscanthus floridulus: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Miscanthus floridulus Whole Plant Traits
Miscanthus floridulus: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Miscanthus floridulus: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Miscanthus floridulus: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Miscanthus floridulus: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Miscanthus floridulus: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Miscanthus floridulus Cultural Conditions
Miscanthus floridulus: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Miscanthus floridulus: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Miscanthus floridulus: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Miscanthus floridulus: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Miscanthus floridulus: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Miscanthus floridulus: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Miscanthus floridulus Fruit
Miscanthus floridulus: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Miscanthus floridulus Stem
Miscanthus floridulus: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Miscanthus floridulus Landscape
Miscanthus floridulus: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Miscanthus floridulus: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Miscanthus floridulus: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Miscanthus floridulus: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Miscanthus floridulus: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
