Miscanthus sinensis 'LITTLE ZEBRA'^®

Little Zebra^® is an eulalia variety which is commonly supposed to be a dwarf version of Zebrinus, an older eulalia variety, however, these two have nothing in common. Little Zebra^® originated as a natural sport of green-leaved miscanthus species. It has the same creamy white to pale yellow horizontal variegation on the leaf blades but exhibits much shorter growth and arching habit. Before flowering the plant is 80-100 cm tall and in flower it reaches between 1.3 and 1.5m. It looks much more relaxed than its sturdy relative.

From August open plume-like inflorescences composed of pale reddish purple flowers which mature to beige. Unlike Zebrinus, which seldom flowers, Little Zebra^® blooms profusely and reliably every year. It forms compact, dense clumps, and expands slowly by short rhizomes = it is not invasive. Little Zebra^® was found by Tomas M. Walsh from Michigan, USA, in 1995, and patented as PP13008 in 2002.

Eulalia is best grown in sunny and warm areas, in almost any well-drained soil with only occasional watering in summer. It hates boggy soil quite surprisingly copes well with heavy clay unless its roots stand in water before they establish. It is recommended to tie up the leaves before winter and cut the clump back in early spring, about 10-20 cm above ground level. Hardy to min. -25°C (USDA zone 5b), possibly a little more.

Last update: 19-02-2019