Miscanthus sinensis ‘Little Kitten’

Chinese Silver Grass Poaceae

Proof that even a Miscanthus can be small, perfectly formed and quietly confident — rather like a cat that has somehow acquired a garden of its own. ‘Little Kitten’ is an unusually compact Japanese selection, forming a neat, fountain-shaped clump of narrow green leaves which turn golden-yellow in autumn. From late summer, numerous airy flowerheads rise just above the foliage, opening pinkish or purplish before becoming soft cream and silver — unusually prolific for such a small plant. It is a Japanese selection that came to the USA via plantsman Jim Waddick in 1996, and is thought to have arisen from M. sinensis ‘Yaku Jima’. Happily clump-forming rather than aggressively spreading, it is an excellent choice for smaller gardens, containers and the front of a sunny border. Give it full sun and a moderately fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; once established it has good drought tolerance.

Cultivar origin: Japanese selection; introduced to the USA by Jim Waddick in 1996. Thought to have originated as a seedling of ‘Yaku Jima’.
Flowering: August–October
Hardiness: H6, approximately −20 to −15°C
Height: 60–90 cm
Spread: 45–60 cm