Chinese silver grass vs Feather reed grass

In Central Europe the early-flowering cultivars ripen seed in warm, wet years, and the wind-borne seed germinates in the garden and beyond it; escaped plants have been reported from Austria, Czechia, Germany and Switzerland. It is on the Swiss list of potentially invasive plants and on the German federal watch list; it is not on the EU, Hungarian or Slovak invasive lists. Near semi-natural land, water margins or waste ground choose a late-flowering or low-seeding cultivar (for example 'Gracillimus', 'Zebrinus', 'Morning Light' or 'Yakushima Dwarf'), or cut the plumes off before the seed ripens. It is slow to settle: it takes about three years to reach full size, but then stays in place for decades and a mature clump is hard to dig out. In shade it flops and flowers poorly. The leaf edges are finely toothed and sharp and will cut your hands. The dry foliage is highly flammable, so do not plant it right next to a building, barbecue or fire pit. Leaf rust can occur.

It has no serious pests or diseases; rust can appear on the leaves after long rainy spells. It is a cool-season grass, so in the hot, dry summers of Central Europe growth pauses and the foliage can brown in soil that dries out without watering; there it appreciates some afternoon shade and soil that stays moist. The variegated cultivars are shorter and less vigorous than the green ones. In shade it flowers less and flops, and after heavy rain or wind the stems may lie down for a while.