SimplePlant

Poaceae

Chinese silvergrass

Miscanthus sinensis Andersson

Family
Poaceae
Genus
Miscanthus

Pets and kids

  • CatsNot sure
  • DogsNot sure
  • KidsNot sure
Why

Cats: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Dogs: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Kids: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
FlowerPhoto: Jacy Chen, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (18)
arz
ميسكانثوس سينينسيس
Cantonese
細葉芒
Catalan
Eulàlia
Chinese
芒, 中国芒, 金平芒, 芒根, 芒气笋子, 芒花, 芒茎, 芒草
Czech
Ozdobnice čínská
English
Chinese silvergrass, Maiden silvergrass, Silvergrass, Jejudo maiden silvergrass
Esperanto
Ĉina kano
Finnish
Elefanttiheinä, Elefanttiruoho
German
Chinaschilf
Hebrew
עשב פילים
Italian
Susuki
Japanese
ススキ, すすき, すゝき, 尾花, 薄
Korean
참억새, 금억새
lzh
芒
Polish
Miskant chiński
Russian
Мискантус китайский, Веерник китайский, Веероцветник китайский
Spanish
Plateado chino, Porcupine
Swedish
Glansmiskantus

Synonyms

  • Erianthus japonicus (Thunb.) P.Beauv.
  • Eulalia japonica (Thunb.) Trin.
  • Eulalia japonica var. gracillima (Hitchc.) Grier
  • Eulalia japonica var. zebrina (Van Geert) G.Nicholson
  • Eulalia zebrina Van Geert
  • Miscanthus boninensis Nakai ex Honda
  • Miscanthus chejuensis Y.N.Lee
  • Miscanthus chrysander Maxim ex Makino
  • Miscanthus condensatus Hack.
  • Miscanthus condensatus var. intermedius Y.N.Lee
  • Miscanthus condensatus var. purpurascens Y.N.Lee
  • Miscanthus coreensis Hack.
  • Miscanthus flavidus Honda
  • Miscanthus hidakanus Honda
  • Miscanthus ionandros Nakai
  • Miscanthus kanehirai Honda
  • Miscanthus kokusanensis Nakai & Honda
  • Miscanthus kokusanensis f. variegatus Honda
  • Miscanthus kokusanensis var. variegatus (Nakai & Honda) Nakai & Honda
  • Miscanthus littoralis Honda
  • Miscanthus matsudae Honda
  • Miscanthus matsudae var. glabrescens Honda
  • Miscanthus miser Nakai ex Honda
  • Miscanthus nakaianus Honda
  • Miscanthus neocoreanus Honda
  • Miscanthus purpurascens Andersson
  • Miscanthus pycnocephalus Honda
  • Miscanthus pycnocephalus var. purpurascens Honda
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. crassiracemus Ohwi
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. decompositus Nakai
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. glaber Nakai
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. gracillimus (Hitchc.) Ohwi
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. hashimotoi Ohwi
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. porphyrocomus Ohwi
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. purpurascens (Andersson) Nakai
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. pycnocephalus (Honda) Ohwi
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. sinensis
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. transiticus Nakai
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. variegatus (Beal) Nakai
  • Miscanthus sinensis f. variegatus (Beal) Beetle

and 35 more.

Flowers

In flower
August to December (from 103 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
Flower colour
yellow (USDA PLANTS Database)

Characteristics

Growth habit
Graminoid
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

More in Miscanthus

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.