Miscanthus Mystal™ 'Fire Dragon'
- In stock, ready for delivery
HEADS UP. THIS ONE CAN SELF-SEED.
Maiden grass is on Ontario's invasive plant list because its seed can blow into natural areas. In the garden it stays a tidy clump. If you live near woodland, meadow or water, cut the plumes off in fall before they drop seed.
Miscanthus Mystal™ 'Fire Dragon': Green All Summer, Red-Hot by Fall
'Fire Dragon' spends summer as a mild-mannered green grass, then fall hits and it starts breathing fire. The blades turn blazing orange-red under silky silver plumes. DRAGONS DON'T DO SUBTLE.
Plant Characteristics:
- Botanical Name: Miscanthus sinensis 'Fire Dragon'
- Common Name: Maiden Grass
- Series: Mystal™ Miscanthus collection, from PlantHaven
- Height: 180–210 cm (6–7 ft) in bloom
- Spread: 90–120 cm (3–4 ft)
- Flowers: Silky, silvery-white plumes held above the foliage, lasting into winter if left standing
- Bloom Time: Late summer to fall (August to October)
- Foliage: Green, upright to arching blades that turn orange-red from September, peaking in early October
- Features: Outstanding fall colour, winter interest
Where to Plant: Its height and upright habit make it a strong vertical accent, a back-of-border anchor or a seasonal screen along a property line or patio. Plant it where low autumn sun can shine through the red blades, and give it an open spot for the best colour.
Companion Plants: Use Mystal™ 'Fire Dragon' for fiery fall colour behind a sunny or part-shade bed of peonies and daylilies. Geum 'Koi' edges the front with bright orange flowers at 20 to 25 cm from May to September. Paeonia 'Monsieur Jules Elie' opens big pink double peonies at 90 cm in May and June. Amsonia 'String Theory' adds light periwinkle stars at 61 to 76 cm in June. Hemerocallis 'Ruby Stella' brings ruby red reblooming daylilies at 45 to 55 cm from July to September.
Plant Care: Plant it in full sun in average, moist but well-drained soil. It handles clay if the soil doesn't stay waterlogged. Water deeply and regularly through its first season. Once established, it handles moderate dry spells. Leave the foliage and plumes up all winter for structure and snow-catching. In early spring, before new growth appears, cut the whole clump back to about 8–15 cm (3–6 in). Divide in spring if the centre begins to die out.
History: 'Fire Dragon' was found by Klaus Menzel in his garden in Wöllstein, Germany, in 1992 as an open-pollinated seedling of Miscanthus sinensis 'Rotsilber' and 'Yakushima Dwarf'.
Final Thoughts: Full sun gives the hottest colour, and the plumes stand all winter. The deer keep their distance. SMART DEER.