Miscanthus capensis

Miscanthus capensis

Quantity:

Common Names

Daba Grass (english)Ruigtegras (afrikaans)

Taxonomy

Family POACEAE
Genus Miscanthus
Species capensis
SA Plant Number
Basionym Miscanthus capensis

Description

Miscanthus capensisis a very hardy, evergreen, clump-forming, large grass that has beautiful autumn colours.

The flowering stalks are topped with plumes of pink seed-heads in late summer and early autumn. The clumps of leaves are about 1m tall and the flowering stalks are up to 2m tall.

Weavers choose this grass above other plants for nesting material. They use the leaves to weave the nest and the seed to line it.

Use as a backdrop to a garden bed or as a screening plant in narrow beds. It is effective planted as a single, sculptural, feature plant in a garden. Plant into window-box type containers where they can be used as a screen on a balcony. This tall grass is beautiful moving in the lightest of breezes in the garden.

As with all grasses, to keep it healthy, it should be cut back once a year and raked to remove the thatch. Plant in sun or semi-shade in damp or normal garden conditions.

Size: Flowering stem up to 2m

Seeds

Lifestyle Seeds may have stock of Miscanthus capensis seeds.

Wildlife

Birds: Nesting material for Weaver birds

Uses

Landscaping: Screening plant, Container plant, movement in the garden with long leaves swaying in the breeze, textural plant

Distribution

Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape

Natural Habitat Along rivers and streams, Bushveld, Forest margins, Fynbos mountainsides, Grassland  

+

Admin Notice: