Zone 7, too. This 'New Hybrids' started 2 weeks ago.

What variety is yours?

Pretty sure that it is Malepartus.

I hope my Strictus holds off for a bit .... I really like it better before the plumes. Plumes just seem like overkill!
A.

You could always cut out the plume stalks, and use them in arrangements. It won't hurt the plant.

I wondered if your pic. was Malepartus w/the beautiful reddish plumes. My "supposed" Malepartus has very white-ish plumes but blooms extremely early, has been in bloom for almost 3 wks. now. Hard telling what it really is! Little Kitten is just starting to bloom, as is Purpurescens and Silberfeder. Still waiting on Yaku Jima, Strictus, Cabaret, Morning Light and Little Zebra. I agree that the summer has gone by waaay too fast!

That's wierd about 'malepartus'. Mine has been in bloom for about two weeks and the plumes are a golden bronze color. 'Adagio' is blooming and is sooo beautiful. That one is just about the best looking miscanthus in my opinion. The revenna grasses look like they are just about to start their blooms. I'm excited because they look awsome.

I am in Zone 5a and have Miscanthus Juli, Malpartus, and Silver Feather all in bloom since the second week of August. I've had the warmest April ever this year, but these grasses have bloomed at the end of July before. Makes me think that blooming is based on some trigger other than warm days.

Being that I was a couple weeks late in getting the grasses cut back our grasses are just stating to set plumes / blooms.

In the past our M.s. Malepartus has always had deep red / purple inflorescence.

I too have wondered about the flower colour on Malepartus. Had to get all my books out this morning.
King & Oudolf, Grounds, Greenlee and the rhs grass trials all say blooms open red
Only Rick Darke says blooms open silver.

I don't care ~ it is still a gorgeous grass!

Here is a link that might be useful: RHS Plant Trials ~ Miscanthus

I think 'Malepartus' is variable. Here's what Bluestem has to say:

"There is a wide variety of sizes and colors within the same species."

Wow, I'm in zone 5 and none of my Miscanthus have even started showing signs of plumes. The only thing starting to show are the Pennisetums. I hope they hold off for a bit because I'm not ready for the weather to start turning colder yet.

Blackie

Thanks achnatherum and donn for shedding light on the Malepartus mystery! I've always read about the reddish plumes and assumed I must have something else. The stature certainly looks like Malepartus- somewhat narrow, upright and slightly cascading (if that makes any sense at all!). Have to agree that it is a gorgeous grass, regardless!

'Malepartus', 'Graziella', 'Huron Sunrise', 'Adagio'... all have been selected for early blooming. 'Gross Fountaine' is also starting soon

personally, IMO, whats the hurry... "Gracillimus" seems to look the best thru winter anyway

Early blooming may be desirable for some in the north, where growing seasons may not be long enough to allow a late-blooming grass to flower at all.

Donn,
You quote Bluestem in one of your replies above
"There is a wide variety of sizes and colors within the same species."
I wonder if this is a misprint on their part.
They say species when 'Malepartus' is not the species but a cultivar.
and, reading their descriptions of other Miscanthus cultivars there don't seem to be any comments on flower colour.

I would have thought that Malepartus was originally selected for its flower colour. It really is quite striking!

I think that grasses are turning up under incorrect names due to either mix-ups in the nursery, easy enough to have an employee mislabel grasses - or because someone is passing off a seed-grown plant as a specific cultivar.

Last year I came across 5 pots of Calamagrostis 'Overdam' mislabelled Miscanthus 'Morning Light'. The guy in the nursery wouldn't believe me when I told him he had the wrong labels on his plants .....
A.

A, I just checked, and Bluestem uses the same line in the descriptions of 'Sarabande' and var. purpurascens.

I sent an email to Muriel at Bluestem, asking for clarification. She's the webmaster and head of Customer Service. She's helped me a great deal in the past. I'll report back when she replies.

I got a reply from Muriel at Bluestem.

Here's my question:

Hi Muriel,
One quick question.
A few of us on the Garden Web Ornamental Grass forum have noticed the following line in your website's descriptions of 3 Miscanthus cultivars:
"There is a wide variety of sizes and colors within the same species."
This, or something similar, appears in the descriptive copy for Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus,' Miscanthus sinensis 'Sarabande' and Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurescens.
We would like to know if this means there are variations in size and color of those cultivars, or is alluding to the differences within the species M. sinensis. Do the variations include plume color? We are discussing the plume colors of our Miscanthus, as the are starting to bloom now, and we note that there isn't much comment on flower color in your descriptions of Miscanthus.
Thanks,

And her reply:

Hello Donn
Well, you have sent us scurrying to books, websites, the phone and the garden. I have also visited the GardenWeb forum to get an idea of the discussion.
First, the statement on our website, "There is a wide variety of sizes and colors within the same species" refers to Miscanthus sinensis in general and not to specific cultivars. The cultivars should be consistent as they can only be vegetatively propagated so as to preserve the exact form, blooms, etc. I have already corrected that on our website by removing the comment. I don't want people to be confused.
Regarding the color of Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus' blooms, we have noted that Pete Oudolf states that the blooms start out reddish, then turn pink and then white. We are most inclined to believe him, as he is in the Netherlands and close to where M. sinensis 'Malepartus' was developed. Our Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus' progresses through the same colour changes as stated by Pete Oudolf.
It is possible that if one does not watch very closely that the first color could be missed and that could explain why some say that the inflorescences of M. Malepartus start out pink and then turn white or that the blooms are described as being silver or white in appearance. Not everyone has a sharp eye for detail!
Plants definitely do get mislabelled! If the characteristics of a particular plant such as a Miscanthus are important to you, one would be more likely to obtain the correctly labelled plant if one deals with a specialty nursery than if one deals with a big box store. Also keep in mind that in a retail center a tag can easily be lifted out and placed back in the wrong pot.
One further comment that may be of interest: blooming is not a function of heat, but rather of length of day. Many plants are triggered to set blooms based on the light levels dropping or, to state it more simply, the days getting shorter.
Thank you to referring this question to us. We are happy to help out such serious grass aficionados!!

Nice helpful folks.

Donn & Muriel
Thanks for that clarification. It was very nice of you both to go the extra mile ....

Since Malepartus is the subject of conversation I thought you'd like to see the same plant almost 2 weeks later.

Beautiful, A. I can't wait to get some. I have 7 plugs coming from a badly delayed co-op, but am holding out hope.

Well, if this is the case, I don't have 'malepartus' but something els. I ordered my so called 'malepartus' from hostas.com about four years ago. It has never had the reddish plumes. It has alway opened a golden bronze color then turns an earthtone beige color, never anywhere near white. The grass has the same shape as those pictured, but the plumes are a completely different color. I'm a bit disappointed. I love those red plumes. Achnatherum, your pictures are beautiful.

Derek,
don't be too disappointed ... my Malepartus will turn your 'earth-tone' beige in a couple of weeks. They all pretty much end up that way.
Thanks for the compliment :o)
A.

can you split maiden grass and if so will it make the plant not as wide? also when it rains the stalks all seperate and head to the ground. normal?

Yes, you can divide Maiden Grass. It's best done in the Spring, when it first starts it's growth.

Division will give you a smaller diameter plant for a while, but it will eventually grow out to the size it was when you divided it.

Well I'll be darned. My Malepartus has a couple of new plumes and they are indeed reddish, had to do a double take in fact. I've had this grass for 3 yrs. and have never noticed reddish plumes before. Very strange!

Strictus is starting for me now in VA, dang it, now the vase shape is opening up and floping - I hate that! I'll be chopping stalks for the rest of the fall.

juicylucy, That is an odd discovery because mine is puting up a few late blooming plumes and they have a definite red purple color.

nicethyme, my strictus is setting up to bloom and has taken on that looser more open look. If I get rain and new blooms at the same time it will flop for sure :o(
I really like this particular grass much better before it blooms!
At least it is not like my 'Huron Sunset' which flops completely once it blooms. That one will be heading for the compost heap next spring. One of the only grasses that I have chucked .... Oh well, I guess they can't all be good.
A.