Dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio'

Questions about dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio'

Does dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' need sun or shade?

Dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late August to mid October. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' be planted?

2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 4 ft (120 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' plants do I need?

At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 2 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 5 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 6 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one, with clear ground around it: a feature plant is seen as an object, and a group of them is a thicket.

Is dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

What can I plant instead of dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio'?

Dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' is listed as invasive in parts of North America, so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:

• Bitter switchgrass 'Dewey Blue': the same size and the same flowering time; a drift, not a specimen, tan, not pink.
• Willowleaf sunflower 'First Light': the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers mid September to mid October, yellow, not pink.
• Hardy hibiscus: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 12 in taller, 6 in wider.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' spread?

It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Self-seeds in warm climates, and seedlings revert to the vigorous wild type. Listed as invasive in many eastern states and regulated in New York. Check local guidance before planting.

It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.

What flowers after dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio'?

Dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' is over by mid October. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Bodnant viburnum 'Dawn': from early November to late December, 10 ft tall.
• Common witch hazel: from mid October to late November, 15 ft tall.

What does dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' look like in winter?

Dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' turns the colour of straw and, left uncut, stands through the winter, with seed for the birds. Cut it down in late winter, before the new shoots come up.

Is dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' good for bees and butterflies?

Dwarf maiden grass 'Adagio' is visited by songbirds.