Landscape Alternatives
Similar to Miscanthus sinensis Anderss.
These native plants are suitable substitutes for Chinese Silver Grass in the landscape.
Sugarcane Plumegrass (Saccharum giganteum) and Silver Plumegrass (Saccharum alopecuroidum) have showy pink to silvery flower/seed plumes reaching 7-9 feet tall. S. giganteum prefers moist to wet locations, and S. alopecuroidum likes drier sites.
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a smaller ornamental grass (2-4 feet) with showy silver seed stalks and colorful fall foliage. There are cultivars.
Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) is 4 to 7 feet tall with golden clusters of flowers/seeds in fall.
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is an upright ornamental grass 3 to 7 feet tall with colorful fall foliage. There are many cultivars for size and fall color.
Bushy Bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus) and Splitbeard Bluestem (Andropogon ternarius) are two showy bluestems for different site conditions. Bushy bluestem needs moist to wet sites, and splitbeard bluestem grows best in well-drained moist to dry sites.
Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is a spectacularly showy grass with thin wiry foliage and pink to mauve flowers in fall. Flower panicles turn the plant into a gorgeous pink mist.