• Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurescens’
• Large feathery seed heads
• foliage becomes flame colours in fall, stems have red tones
• takes a few years to become a large stately plant, 6ft tall 2′ wide
• not invasive
• impressive when established
• likes full hot sun and well drained soil
• deer resistant ( I have not tested it)
• very low maintenance

These seed heads of Miscanthus appear as if out of nowhere in late August. The foliage then begins to change colour. A few long stems in a tall narrow vase make a lovely display.

It took me a long time to appreciate ornamental grasses but having seen some beautiful grass plantings I have gradually become a fan. Interestingly, most ornamental grasses are very resistant to deer. I can vouch for that with ‘Karl Foerster’ feather Reed Grass and ‘Blue Oat Grass’. The blades as inferred in the word are very sharp and cut the tongues of our urban ungulates. I know a Miscanthus in the neighbourhood that is majestic, so my guess is you would be fine with it in an exposed area.

The beauty of this grass is that it adds more fall interest to the garden with practically no maintenance. It will need the previous year’s top growth pulled off in the spring but then it will be ready to go. As a late season grass, its flowers will appear in late summer as its leaves become orange, red and yellow but I use its green foliage in flower arrangements and its form adds structure to a flower bed all summer long.

It was Piet Oudolf who brought ‘prairie’ type plantings into popularity thirty years ago or so and his planting designs have been installed all over the world. Flame Grass combines well with Feather Reed Grass ‘Karl Foerster’, Blue Oat Grass, Helitotrichon sempervirens, Blue Idaho Fescue Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Globe Thistle. take a look at Oudolf’s gardens for inspiration at this link.

Above left: Grass planting Castlegar, B.C. Bottom left: Piet Oudolf planting Wisley, U.K. Above Grass planting New Zealand.