Chinese silvergrass: Miscanthus sinensis (Cyperales: Poaceae)

Chinese silvergrass
Cyperales > Poaceae > Miscanthus sinensis Anderss.
Synonym(s): eulalia, Chinese plume grass, zebra grass, eulaliagrass
Chinese silvergrass is a tall, up to 12 ft. (3.7 m), densely-bunched grass that invades roadsides, forest edges, old fields, and other disturbed areas throughout the United States. The leaves are long (up to 18 in. [45 cm]), slender, and upright-to-arching with sharp tips and rough margins. The midribs are silvery in color. The terminal panicle is fan-shaped, long (2 ft. [0.6 m] in length), and silvery to pink in color. Flowering occurs in late summer. Chinese silvergrass escapes from ornamental plantings and can form large clumps along disturbed areas, displacing native vegetation. The grass is also extremely flammable and increases fire risks of invaded areas. Chinese silvergrass is native to Asia and was introduced into the United States for ornamental purposes during the late 1800s.

Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources

Invasive Plant Atlas of New England - University of Connecticut

Invasive Plant Manual - Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council

Invasive Plants of Asian Origin Established in the United States and Their Natural Enemies - Volume 2 - USDA Forest Service

Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station

Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Prescriptions for Specific Nonnative Invasive Plants - USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station

Weeds of the Week - USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area, Forest Health Protection

Selected Images from Invasive.org

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Feature(s); closeup throat in September James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Foliage; Britt Slattery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Root(s); Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org 768x512
Flower(s); October James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Fruit(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Plant(s); Sevier County, TN. Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Infestation; in November James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Infestation; Infestation along trail Britt Slattery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org 768x512	Infestation; October James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Control; Weedeating miscanthus before it goes to seed Great Smoky Mountains National Park Resource Management Archive, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Fruit(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Diagram or Graphic; Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Misc. Publ. No. 200. Washington, DC. USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Diagram or Graphic; Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 1: 113. USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024

Invasive Reference(s):

Check Invasive.org for most current lists.

Alabama - IPC List
Georgia - EPPC list
Kentucky - EPPC List
Rhode Island - Noxious Weed Law
South Carolina - EPPC List
Tennessee - EPPC List
Texas - Invasive Plant List
Virginia - Invasive Alien Plant Species
Mid-Atlantic - EPPC List
Invasive Plants: Guide to Identification and the Impacts and Control of Common North American Species
Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest
Invasive Plant Atlas of New England

External Links


				Bargeron, C.T., C.R. Minteer, C.W. Evans, D.J. Moorhead, G.K. Douce and R.C. Reardon. Technical Coordinators. 2008. Invasive Plants of the United States DVD-ROM: Identification, Biology and Control. USDA Forest Service. Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. Morgantown, WV. FHTET-08-11.