If you are looking for red plumes, malepartus isn't the grass you want. I have two of them and the plumes have a slight purple tint when emerging from the stems then the plumes turn to a earthtone color to almost white as the seeds ripen. 'Gracillimus' has beautiful red plumes but it blooms so late. Maybe try looking into 'Ferner Osten'.

Malepartus has the reddest plumes of all the miscanthuses, but they are a dark red. No miscanthus, as far as I know, has bright red or hot pink plumes. Let me know it you find any zone 5 grass that does!!

Depending on where you live in WA, farslayr, you might be able to get Rhynchelytrum nerviglume 'Pink Crystals' to perform perennially. The flower spikes on it are absolutely stunning, however, it only forms clumps to 1 ft. high and slightly wider, with the flower spikes rising about 2 ft. over that.

Picture below doesn't do it justice, IMO.

Brenda

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:873745}}

My thanks to everyone that responded. I'll look into the R. nerviglume. A smaller plant may very well fit the place intended.

If you want a great Miscanthus, Rotsilber is really great for blooming first a purplish red, then bleeding into a carmine pink, then tan by winter.