Frequently Asked Questions

No, MxG is the only strain of miscanthus that the seeds are not sterile. We have been growing Miscanthus X Giganteus for almost 20 years and haven’t had it grow where we didn’t plant it.

We suggest the following planting pattern to establish a hedge row/screen. The individual rhizomes should be planted in a double line. Each line would be 18" apart with the rhizomes planted down these lines also 18" apart staggered. 133 rhizomes are used per 100 feet, the cost per 100 foot is $120. Planting a third line of rhizomes on the hedgerow will provide thicker screen coverage at a faster pace. This uses 200 rhizomes per 100 feet, the cost per 100 foot is $180

The first year growth of an individual rhizome is 1-3 stalks, 1-3' tall. The second year you will get an average of 7 stalks, 6-7' tall, and the third year the clusters diameter will be approximately 14", with about 25 stalks at full height (11+). By the fourth year, two rhizomes planted 18" apart will grow into each other. Rhizomes spread slower in heavy soil (clay) and a little faster spread with sandy loam. The heaviest growth is always on the new outside spread of the cluster.

The individual rhizomes should be planted 3-4" deep, with 2-3” of soil on top, horizontally. A well-tilled bed does help the roots establish quicker if you are able to till. Once the area is tilled you can drag furrows and drop the rhizomes approximately every 18 inches. You will want to kick the dirt back over the rhizomes and step on it. If doing long rows, do it in sections so the rhizomes won’t dry out. If planting a small section or don’t have a tiller, you can take a spade shovel and put in in the ground at an angle. Then you will lift up throw the rhizome in and remove the shovel, then step on it to compact the soil. The picture to the side is how we plant long rows. We added shanks to the back of our tiller so on the final pass we can drop those and drag our furrows.

Miscanthus won’t do good in wet conditions. MxG likes moist and warm not soaking wet. It won’t do well by a tree line. The trees will take too much moisture/nutrient from the miscanthus and it will grow poorly. Sandy soil will grow Miscanthus. The problem is that it is more work every year to get it to grow. The MxG would need irrigation every summer and extra fertilizer every year. Like a permanent drip line that can be turned on when needed. The MxG is very drought tolerant once established. What that refers to is that it will not die if it gets no extra water other than rainfall, but it will not grow ether during the dry spell. We have sandy areas that we do not irrigate that are always shorter.

We fertilize the miscanthus with triple 19, 4 weeks after planting. We use 5 pounds per 150 feet of row. The second year on we use a 1:1 mix of triple 19 and Urea. It is still 5 pounds per 150 feet. If the hedge has a lot of competition with weeds, you can spray 2,4-D or quintessential. You can do that at the same time as fertilizing.

Consider planting clusters when you are wanting to cover a short run. The clusters will gain you a year of growth in height. It takes 2 years to get to full height instead of 3. If you are wanting to use the miscanthus as a decorative grass, the clusters would be good for that.

It’s easiest to dig them up after you cut down the row in early spring. After it is cut down you can start taking chunks of the row out to break apart and replant. You can use an axe, shovel, etc.

No, they won’t eat the miscanthus. There is no nutritional value for them.

There is a potential of having wildlife dig up freshly planted rhizomes. They won’t eat the rhizomes but they do leave them on the surface causing them to dry out in the sun. The quickest/cheapest solution is sprinkling cayenne pepper on the surface where you plant to deter the animals away.

Yellowhorn only needs about 12 inches of water per year. This is a very drought tolerate plant. We suggest water the tree every couple weeks if no rainfall happens.

The Yellowhorn will grow just about anywhere. In desert climates and through harsh winters. It needs at least 1 hard freeze to produce capsules of nuts the next year. Without a hard freeze the tree will produce flowers and that is it.

They are similar tasting to macadamia nuts, just with a more acidic bitter taste. They do taste much better when roasted.