Japanese silvergrass (Chinese plumegrass)
Miscanthus sinensis

Japanese silvergrass is possibly the most popular perennial ornamental grass grown in Iowa. Many cultivars are available in a wide variety of forms, textures, and growth habits. Most of the new cultivars are sterile and cannot usually produce viable seed. In the southeastern United States, however, Japanese silvergrass has become a troublesome invasive weed. Another member of the genus Miscanthus, plumegrass, (Miscanthus sacchariflorus) is a problem in Iowa. From a distance the flowers look similar to Japanese silvergrass. Plumegrass spreads aggressively through rhizomes and occasional seeds and can be seen in many Iowa roadside ditches.

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