Miscanthus
An ornamental plant, planted in May.
In September: nothing to do. Wear gloves and long sleeves to cut it back: the leaf blades are sharp.
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Miscanthus, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown miscanthus. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none |
| Cut back the miscanthus. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Lift and divide the miscanthus. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Handle it with care
Wear gloves and long sleeves to cut it back: the leaf blades are sharp.
Weaker source: Homes & Gardens.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown miscanthus in May, 40 to 50cm apart. Moderate sources: RHS and Farmer Gracy.
Cut back the miscanthus
Cut all the old stems as low as possible with sharp secateurs, avoiding any new growth.
Usually March to May. Strong source: RHS.
Lift and divide the miscanthus
Usually March to May. Strong source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.Weaker: a blog, a forum, a small website or a page from outside the UK. Treat it as a guide.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Miscanthus” comes from.