MISCANTHUS sinensis
Yaku Jima

A nice Japanese silver grass that stays more compact than other Miscanthus varieties. This makes it a good selection for smaller gardens. It has fine textured foliage to 4' tall and colors up to a reddish-brown in autumn. The plumes emerge in mid-September, are held close to the foliage and remain attractive through the winter. Yaku Jima may not be as tall or as showy as newer maiden hair grasses but for us it's an attractive and reliable grass for the landscape or mixed border.
Zone 5

Companion Plants These plants will complement this month's featured plant very nicely and make excellent companions in the mixed border or landscape.

AMSONIA hubrechtii 'Blue Milkweed' 3-4' thread-leaf form perennial, with heads of pale blue flowers in June, and a delicate, bushy appearance all season. Beautiful, long-lasting golden fall foliage stops visitors in their tracks as they tour our display gardens. Combine with Sedum Autumn Joy, Aster Purple Dome & Gentian. Zone 5

ARONIA melanocarpa 'Viking' New! A suckering shrub to 3-5 feet, very adaptable, tolerant of very wet or very dry soils. Trouble-free dark green summer foliage, and fragrant white flowers are succeeded by big black-purple fruits. Beautiful intense wine-red fall coloring. An excellent choice for the shrub border, or for naturalizing in a difficult site. Zone 3

CHAMAECYPARIS nootkatensis 'Pendula' The very graceful form of our western native, the "Nootka Cypress." Branchlets hang vertically in long, graceful streamers. A superb accent plant, given plenty of room to spread its "arms." Zone 5

PARROTIA persica 'Vanessa' Rare columnar form, with snowy red-burgundy leaf tips through early summer. Also consider P. per. horizontalis for a wide spreading, semi-weeping plant with knockout fall color. It makes for a wonderful silhouette in the winter landscape. Zone 4