


This grass produces best in moist soils or even boggy riparian edges but established grasses can tolerate short periods of drought. The plant then produces fluffy seeds, which provide airy distraction to the late fall foliage. Hot sunny summers help the plant form copper colored, feathery inflorescences in September. Its clumping habit makes it perfect when planted in groups as a hedge or alone in a container.

Choose a sunny to partially sunny location when growing zebra grass. The plants are hardy to USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 9. It produces brand new deep green leaves in spring that begin to show more and more golden striping as the leaf matures. The plant is perennial but the foliage dies off in cold weather, leaving an architecturally interesting skeleton. Zebra ornamental plants have long arching leaves with appealing stripes across the width, like dappled foliage in the sun. There are few showier plants for the garden. Zebra ornamental grass can get up to 6 feet (2 m.) high, and produces a spectacular screen or specimen plant. The grasses provide four seasons of interest with young spring variegated striped foliage, summer copper colored inflorescence, fall golden leaves, and winter texture and form. Zebra grass plants die back in winter, but are perennial and re-sprout in spring. Zebra grass ( Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) is native to Japan and one of the Miscanthus maiden grass cultivars, all of which are used as ornamental grasses.
