Morning Light Silver Grass

Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'

Nature Hills Nursery

$16⁹⁹

Shipping calculated at checkout.

In Stock

Enter your ZIP code to check shipping availability.

Find your Growing Zone

Plant Size

Quart Container #2 Container #1 Container #3 Container

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: Provide at least six hours of full, direct sun daily to maintain the upright form and prevent the stems from flopping. While it can handle light afternoon shade, the variegated silver foliage will look less vibrant and the plant may lose its crisp, architectural shape.
Soil: This grass thrives in moderately moist, well drained soil but is adaptable to various types. If you have heavy clay, mix in some organic compost at planting to improve drainage, as "wet feet" during the winter can lead to root rot.

Watering Requirements

During the first growing season, water deeply twice a week to ensure the root system reaches deep into the soil. Once established, this grass is quite drought tolerant and usually only needs supplemental water during extended dry spells. Inconsistent watering during the heat of summer can lead to brown leaf tips and a reduction in those dainty, reddish bronze plumes.

Pruning Tips

Morning Light blooms on the current season's growth, so you should cut the entire clump back to about four to six inches above the ground in late winter or very early spring. Think of this like a fresh start that clears out the dead, tan foliage to make way for new green shoots. Pruning before new growth emerges ensures you dont accidentally snip the tips of the coming season’s blades.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow release fertilizer once in early spring as the first green shoots appear. Avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer because this encourages soft, lush growth that is easily damaged by the first frost. A single spring application provides all the fuel necessary for the grass to reach its full height by autumn.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4	Week of March 30th
Zone 5	Week of March 16th
Zone 6	Week of March 2nd
Zone 7	Week of February 23rd
Zone 8-12	Week of February 15th

Shipping Rates

Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

If you want a grass that truly makes a statement, the Morning Light Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light') is happy to oblige! It grows tall, strong, and full with an iconic, fountain-like form. It's easy to see why so many regard this brilliant grass as one of the best-performing Miscanthus varieties!

Miscanthus Morning Light Maiden Grass is a warm-season ornamental that earns its keep in any garden by standing tall and keeping things fresh and exciting with its thin, whiskery leaves. Its foliage is a bright green with creamy white margins. It also has center veins that create a silvery sheen as this grass sways in the sun.

When summer rolls into fall, Morning Light Miscanthus sends up feathery and festive plumes. These joyous plumes create quite a visual impact with their reddish-bronze coloration. These plumes hang around through winter, giving your garden four seasons of interest. Hardy throughout planting zones 5 to 9, these warm-season grasses grow to 4-5 feet in height when in bloom, and form clumps 3-4 feet wide.

Planting and Application:

Because of its fine foliage and graceful form and movement, Miscanthus Morning Light Grass lends itself well to almost any occasion. This excellent grass is easily recognizable from afar. Its stately size and dense form make it ideal for back planting or as a seasonal screen. This delightful grass also makes a wonderful specimen or addition to your grass garden. Its height makes it a great accent piece or thriller.

Plant your Morning Light Grass in full sun for the best performance. It is deer resistant, so you don't have to worry about your investment becoming Bambi's snack. This grass is also salt-tolerant and drought-tolerant once established. Add to Rock Gardens and Xeric mass plantings, even that harsh hell strip along the road or sidewalk!

Narrow Green Leaves With Silvery White Leaf Margins
Iconic Graceful Fountain Form
Warm-Season Ornamental Grass
Bronzy Red Plumes
Flowing Specimens, Mass Plantings, Backdrops & Screening

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Miscanthus ornamental grasses need full sun to have the strongest stems, but are graceful and flowing in partial shade as well! Provide an enriched location with excellent drainage that has mulch for the very best results! Once established, Miscanthus can handle harsher conditions. Each year early spring, cut your ornamental grasses down to just a few inches, removing all of last year's growth and flower plumes, and let all new growth start from the ground up each year. These warm-season grasses may green up later in the spring, but really shine once the hot, dry summer weather kicks in!

Full Sun & Partial Shade
Well-Drained Enriched Soil
Tolerates Drought & Saline Conditions Once Established
Moderate to Low Moisture Needs
Deer Seldom Bother It
Prune Early Spring

Welcome the Morning Light Grass into your garden and let it brighten your day. It will surely become a shining star in your yard. Order now at NatureHills.com!

Botanical Name

Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'
Class
- Poales
Species

sinensis
Cultivar

Morning Light
Growing Zones

5-9
Height

4-5 ft
Width

3-4 ft
Sunlight
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Growth Rate

Moderate
Flower Color
- Red
Leaf Color
- Green
- White
- Variegated
Fall Color

Green
Bloom Period

Late Summer, Early Fall
Does Not Ship To

AK, HI, ID, MA, MT, NY

Free shipping

On all orders over $199
Plant Sentry™

Compliant guaranteed
Easy returns

Hassle free returns policy
Live Chat

Talk to a real person

Growing Zones 5-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

Variegated Maiden Grass

I have seen this grass planted in both residential and commercial settings and it is just beautiful! If you're lucky and have full sun, this grass can easily reach 5 feet high and 5 feet wide in just a few years. This is basically "gracillimus," but in a more silvery-green color. I'm giving this a 4 out of 5 until mine gets mature in a few years.

Hello Katharine,

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughtful insights on the Miscanthus Morning Light Grass! We love hearing how you’ve observed it thriving in both residential and commercial landscapes—it truly is a stunning choice. You’re so right that with full sun, this grass can reach impressive heights and widths fairly quickly, and it sounds like your plant is well on its way. Comparing it to ‘gracillimus’ but noting the more silvery-green hue is a wonderful way to describe Morning Light’s unique charm.

As your grass grows and matures over the next few years, be sure to provide consistent moisture during the growing season and consider cutting it back in late winter or early spring to keep it looking its best each year. If you haven’t already, you might find our care guides on ornamental grasses helpful for optimizing its vibrant color and form as it develops.

We appreciate your honest rating and are here if you experience any concerns or want tips as your plant blossoms.

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

Variegated Maiden Grass

Hi Katharine,

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughtful and detailed review of the Miscanthus Morning Light Grass! We're thrilled to hear that you appreciate its graceful presence and silver-green hues—it truly is a stunning plant both in residential gardens and larger landscapes. We agree that with full sun, its growth habit is impressive, and it sounds like your plant is on a great path to reaching its mature size.

It’s wonderful that you’re giving it time to fully develop; Maiden Grass does benefit from a few growing seasons to show off its best form. To help your Miscanthus Morning Light thrive, be sure to provide well-drained soil and consider cutting back the grass to about a few inches in late winter or early spring—it encourages fresh, vigorous new growth. Also, regular watering during dry spells will keep it healthy and vibrant as it matures.

If you have any photos to share down the road, we’d love to see how your garden evolves! And should you ever need further advice on ornamental grasses or any other plants, we’re here to assist.

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

Morning Light Silver Grass