Pretty stripes, the zebra grass brings a distinctive structure to the garden pond or front garden. It's no surprise that it is currently extremely popular again. In addition, given its ease of care, it is also particularly interesting for plant beginners.
What are the special characteristics of zebra grass?
Zebra grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus') is an attractive, easy-care sweet grass from Japan that impresses with its height of up to 2 meters and pretty, yellow horizontal stripes on green leaves. It prefers sunny locations, nutrient-rich, permeable soils and can tolerate winter temperatures down to -20°C.
Origin
Based on its name, one might almost be tempted to place zebra grass in its African region of origin. But if you keep in mind that it belongs to the miscanthus family of the sweet grass family, it becomes clear that it originally comes from the Far East. This specific variety, botanically Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus', was imported from Japan. Since it knows four seasons and, above all, frosty winters in its native habitat, it gets along well in our Central European climate.
Growth
As a member of the miscanthus, zebra grass also shows a corresponding reed-like growth. It grows upright and bushy and forms quite dense clumps with short, horizontal rhizomes. Overall, the zebra grass can grow up to two meters high. The stalks, which taper towards the top, do not branch, but do fan outwards within the tuff of leaves and hang slightly over, which creates an impressive impression, especially when fully grown.
leaves
It's not just the raised, wide-spread growth that makes zebra grass a very attractive front garden plant, but above all, of course, the appearance of the leaves themselves. With their long, narrow, lanceolate shape and full edges, they create a very defined, clear contour that makes the grass look almost chic. The special eye-catcher is the eponymous horizontal stripes, which stand out in pale yellow from the fresh green background. However, this color only occurs during the vegetation phase over the summer. With the onset of autumn, the leaves take on a brown-gold color.
Bloom
Zebra grass rarely produces flowers in this country. And when they do, they only appear late in the growing season, around August to October. They appear as silver-white, tomentose-hairy panicles.
Location
Zebra grass prefers a sunny location, but also thrives in partial shade. You have a higher chance of beautiful horizontal stripes if you plant it in a sunny spot. The zebra grass should not be too cold or drafty either. A southern location that is protected from strong winds is ideal.
To remember:
- Sunny location if possible, then also good formation of the stripes
- protected from harsh weather conditions
Earth
You can easily plant zebra grass outdoors permanently because of its frost hardiness. But it can also be cultivated in a bucket. In both cases it is important to offer it a relatively nutrient-rich, fresh and permeable substrate. A soil with a certain amount of clay and sand is ideal, to which you add a good portion of humus when planting. Loosening the grass with pebbles is also good for permeability.
Good drainage is also essential when growing in a bucket.
What the soil substrate should be like:
- relatively nutrient-rich, fresh and permeable
- Incorporate a drainage layer both outdoors and in the pot!
Planting time
The best time to plant zebra grass is mid-spring from April.
Planting spacing
The planting distance from any neighboring plants and also between the individual young specimens is important. Because of its strong growing rhizomes and pronounced clump formation, zebra grass spreads quite intensively. If you want to prevent it from getting out of hand in the long term, you should consider installing a root barrier. Cutting off clumps that are too sprawling can also work quite well with a spade, at least as long as the grass is not too old and tough.
The location is also an important factor when it comes to planting distance. If you would like to have zebra grass as a structural loosening in the perennial bed, a radius of at least one meter around the grass is recommended. In this case, the root barrier is particularly recommended.
Zebra grass is often planted in a solitary position, for example in the front garden. It cuts a very good figure and can often take up more space. If you want to plant several specimens with a view to a small zebra grass forest, maintain a planting distance of about 1.20 meters.
To remember:
- Zebra grass tends to spread quite rapidly - consider root barriers
- prevent excessive expansion, especially in the bed, and maintain a radius of around one meter
- for several specimens, plant a distance of approximately 1.20 m
Pouring
Zebra grass copes quite well with moderate dry periods, but it is a little more sensitive to moisture. If the ground is constantly wet, root rot can occur, which kills the zebra grass pretty quickly. When planting outdoors, it is therefore important to incorporate effective drainage, especially if the soil in the area is rather compact. If it is dry and hot for a long time in summer, you should water the plant regularly.
When growing in a bucket, more frequent watering is necessary, especially in summer. Water regularly so that the pot ball does not dry out. Of course, waterlogging is particularly important to avoid when growing in containers. So make sure you empty the planter after rainy days.
Water requirements at a glance:
- needs a moderate amount of water
- water regularly during longer dry periods
- Avoid waterlogging at all costs
Fertilize
Apart from a humus-rich plant substrate and some compost in spring, you don't need to fertilize the zebra grass much.
Cutting
In general, it is advisable to cut back zebra grass once a year. This promotes fresh new growth and magnificent development during the growing season. To do this, you can cut the stalks close to the ground, which gives the grass an effective boost of freshness.
However, you should only prune in the spring. Firstly, the plant's foliage provides good protection from harsh weather over the winter. You can increase this protective effect by tying the stalks together at the top, thereby making the zebra grass more compact and resistant to cold and wind. Secondly, the stalks can be quite decorative even in winter weather.
The ideal time to remove the old leaves is when the new ones emerge from the ground as small, bright shoots. Now they need light and should be freed from last year's stalks. Of course, make sure that you do not damage the young shoots when pruning.
It is best to use large, sharp hedge trimmers for pruning (€24.00 on Amazon).
Pruning rules at a glance:
- Complete, ground-level pruning once a year
- Leave old leaves over the winter to protect the plant, possibly tie them together
- Cut back as soon as the new leaf shoots appear
Balcony
Zebra grass can also be kept well in a pot - this is beneficial for those grass fans who don't have a garden available. Of course, you have to look after the zebra grass a little more carefully in the pot due to the limited planting area, but care is also quite inexpensive here.
Caring for the planting soil consists primarily of regular watering to avoid waterlogging, especially on hot, dry days. A lot of heat can build up on the balcony in particular and a lot of water can evaporate through many nearby walls. You should provide the substrate with a good drainage layer to ensure good drainage. You can fertilize the zebra grass by giving it some compost in the spring.
The advantage of pot culture is that there is no risk of excessive spread. To a certain extent, the pot automatically acts as a root barrier and prevents the grass from forming excessive clumps. However, the zebra grass needs to be repotted every now and then if the pot becomes too narrow.
A location on the balcony is often quite suitable for zebra grass in a pot. Because here it is usually well protected from strong winds. Because the zebra grass likes to be sunny, the balcony should if possible face south or southwest. Overwintering is usually not a problem; zebra grass is resistant to temperatures down to -20°C. However, if there is very severe frost, you should wrap the pot in burlap as a precaution.
Wintering
In the open field, the frost-hardy zebra grass is almost immune to freezing because it can tolerate double-digit temperatures below zero. However, it is advisable to protect the heart of the plant a little by leaving the old leaves over the winter. You can also tie them together to make the plant more compact and wind resistant.
The root ball of zebra grass is somewhat more sensitive when grown in containers. If there is very severe frost, you should wrap the pot with raffia or burlap. Handle the leaves in the same way as when cultivating them outdoors. It's also not a bad idea to place the bucket under a roof to protect it from wind and weather.
Propagate
Division
Propagate clump-forming grasses is basically easy and is best done by dividing the root ball. Since the zebra grass forms a very dense network of rhizomes, you can simply separate some of it with a sharp spade. Every now and then, the division of expanding clumps in the open field is necessary anyway - then you can use the opportunity to get a cutting for yourself or for interested gardening friends.
It is best to propagate in spring. When dividing, make sure that the cutting piece has some well-developed stalks with he althy roots. Place it in the desired location and water it well.
With advanced age and increasing crusting, the zebra grass can become bare in the middle, which is of course detrimental to its appearance. To get a nice, bushy, attractive plant again, dig up all the grass including the ball and divide it. To replant, take a piece from the outer, younger area. Put this back in its original position.
Seed cultivation
Growing seeds is of course also possible in principle, but not as easy as sharing. In addition, if you use your own harvested seeds, you may end up with non-varietal specimens without the characteristic stripes. However, you can hardly get your own seeds anyway because of the rare flowering. However, there are some offers in specialist shops.
Place the seeds in bowls with potting soil and cover them very lightly. To germinate, the seeds need room temperature and consistent moisture. It is recommended to keep them under foil until they germinate.
Diseases
Fortunately, zebra grass is very resistant to diseases. As long as you protect it from excessive dryness and waterlogging, it shouldn't cause you any problems. If it is dry for too long and exposed to strong sunlight, the leaves may dry out. But don't forget: the brown color in autumn is normal and nothing to worry about!
Pests also rarely affect zebra grass. Miscanthus mealybugs may appear.
Tip
You can use the ornamental value of zebra grass in many ways. The solitary position in the front garden is a very popular and recommended variant. But the beautiful reeds also look extremely good on the edges of ponds. However, you have to make sure that you plant it at a sufficient distance from the permanently wet pond bottom. The striped stalks of zebra grass are also very decorative as cuttings in bouquets.
Varieties
It's not just the right zebra grass that is a very beautiful eye-catcher in the garden. Other miscanthus varieties also have very attractive appearances and are no less easy to cultivate.
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’
This variety is extremely similar to Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' and is also usually simply referred to as zebra grass. It has a slightly more upright, tighter growth and slightly more linear leaves than the real zebra grass, but shows the same, decorative striped coloring in fresh green and bamboo yellow. In height it reaches about 1.30 to 1.50 meters. The flowers appear late in the season, if at all, in September or October as brownish panicles.
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Far East’
This miscanthus variety is also an interesting alternative to zebra grass. Although it lacks the stripes on the leaves, it also offers a distinctive color appeal thanks to its reddish autumn color. In addition, the variety produces particularly large, structurally delicate spiked flowers in September or October, which initially appear in a brownish-reddish tone and later turn into a beautiful silvery white. They also look particularly beautiful when their dead ears are covered in hoarfrost in winter.
The deciduous leaves are very narrow, tapering and form a long, arching tuft. Overall, the 'Far East' variety grows as tall as zebra grass, around 1.60 meters.
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Malepartus’
The variety 'Malepartus' is also a very beautiful and impressive miscanthus. It is characterized by a growth of up to 2 meters high with elegantly overhanging stalks that have a fresh green color with a white central line. In terms of shape, the stalks are relatively broad, pointed and have complete edges. In autumn, the foliage turns reddish, similar to the 'Far East' variety, although here it turns less brown and is more radiant.
The flowers of this variety are also extremely decorative: from August onwards they appear as very large, flag-like waving panicles in a reddish, later silvery white color.
