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achnatherum

Miscanthus oligostachys

achnatherum
18 years ago

Is/does anyone

-growing this species?

-know of a seed source?

-know of a plant source? (cdn. preferably)

I have always thought it looked like an interesting grass but, I have never come across one in my travels.

thanks,

A.

Comments (9)

  • well_rooted
    18 years ago

    Miscanthus purpurascens and M. oligostachys are the same plant. I think the latter is the new name.

  • achnatherum
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    well_rooted
    Could you expand on this piece of information?? I would love to know your sources ..... inquiring minds and all that!

    According to all my sources this is still considered to be a distinct species.
    Sources include: (mostly spelled Miscanthus oligostachyus, note the 'u')
    Web sources:
    The Plants Data Base (US government web source)
    Kew, Royal Botanical Garden

    Printed Matter:
    Garden grasses, Rushes & Sedges, Trevor Wood
    Gardening with Grasses, Michael King & Piet Oudolf
    Ornamental Grasses for Cold Climates, M. Hockenberry Meyer
    The Plantfinder's Guide to Ornamental Grasses, Roger Grounds
    Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, Rick Darke
    Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, John Greenlee

    note: Rick Darke considers M. 'purpurescens' to likely be a hybrid involving M. oligostachyus.
    NONE of these authors suggest that M. oligostachyus IS M. purpurescens.

  • donn_
    18 years ago

    I found several Google references calling 'Purpurescens' a cultivar of M. oligostachyus. I couldn't find any reference to a taxonomy change.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cedarwood Nursery

  • donn_
    18 years ago

    Bluestem calls it as follows:

    Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens - Flame Grass
    aka Miscanthus oligostachyus 'Purpurascens'

    I tend to trust him. He gets $12 Canadian for a field clump, and $8 for a 4" pot.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bluestem

  • achnatherum
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the input Donn. The references all seem to be in doubt as to where Purpurescens really belongs. Either a cultivar of M. Sinensis or of M. oligostachyus OR .....

    But that still doens't get me seed or plant of the species
    Miscanthus oligostachyus.

    Still looking .....
    any one else with ideas?

  • donn_
    18 years ago

    It's not in Canada, but Earthly Pursuits sells the species.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Earthly Pursuits

  • donn_
    18 years ago

    Illinois

    Here is a link that might be useful: Moonshine Designs Nursery

  • gillespiegardens
    18 years ago

    It's most definitely the same as purpurascens. The botanists need to get a life and QUIT this reclassifying stuff. it just makes us all nuts. i did quite a bit of research on this topic about 5 yrs ago. I have this in my gardens so if you wish perhaps we can trade some seed.

    Sue
    "The one thing all gardeners share in common is a belief in tomorrow"

  • achnatherum
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I hate to belabour a point but ...
    Sue & well_rooted,
    You are both making quite definite claims but, neither of you tell me where your information comes from. Please don't quoate what a local nursery person says ~ over the years I have seen so many incorrectly labelled grasses at nurseries, it is not surprising to me that things are a bit mixed up.
    Can either of you give me some sound references that say M. oligostachys is not a species of its own right??

    I already have several clumps of M. 'Purpurescens' and my version doesn't look anything like the pics of M. oligostachys in any of my reference books.

    Sue, thanks for the offer of seed. Maybe I will take you up on that. My 'M. Purpurescens' has never set viable seed in all the years I've had it. So .... maybe you & I have something completely different. (we have traded - many years ago!)

    A.

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