Miscanthus capensis
Daba Grass
Description
Miscanthus capensisis a very hardy, evergreen, clump-forming, large grass that has beautiful autumn colors. The flowering stalks are topped with plumes of pink seed-heads in late summer and early autumn. The clumps of leaves are about 3' tall and the flowering stalks are up to 6' tall. Weavers choose this grass above other plants for nesting material. They use the leaves to weave the nest and the seed to line it. Use as a backdrop to a garden bed or as a screening plant in narrow beds. It is effective planted as a single, sculptural, feature plant in a garden. Plant into window-box type containers where they can be used as a screen on a balcony. This tall grass is beautiful moving in the lightest of breezes in the garden. As with all grasses, to keep it healthy, it should be cut back once a year and raked to remove the thatch. Plant in sun or semi-shade in damp or normal garden conditions.
Plant Type
Grass
Height Range
3-6'
Width Range
Flower Color
Pink
Flower Season
Summer, Fall
Leaf Color
Green
Bark Color
n/a
Fruit Color
n/a
Fruit Season
n/a
Sun
Full, Half
Water
Medium
Growth Rate
Moderate
Soil Type
Sandy, Loam, Rocky
Soil Condition
Well-drained, Moist
Soil pH
Neutral
Adverse Factors
n/a
Design Styles
Japanese, Meadow, Mediterranean, Ranch, Tropical, Water Garden, Wetlands, Wild Garden, Woodland
Accenting Features
Fall Color, Showy Flowers, Silhouette, Unusual Foliage
Seasonal Interest
Summer, Fall
Location Uses
Entry, Perennial Border, Patio, Park, Parking Lot, Raised Planter, Walls / Fences
Special Uses
Container, Cut Flowers, Erosion Control, Screen, Mass Planting
Attracts Wildlife
Birds, Wildlife
Water Saving Tip:
Dig-up patches of weeds and undesirable grasses from turf areas.
Use water to grow the turf you want, not the weeds you don't want! Once you have eliminated what you don't want, add sod or over-seed to repair the bare areas.