The photo is of Miscanthus groupings. Clumping, upright, sometimes arching grasses with similar plumes in late summer and fall. Great winter interest as well.

In zone 5, you could try several Miscanthus sinensis varieties. Zone 5 cold hardy include:

Purpurascens (quite cold hardy and a softer, wider blade than the species, as this is not thought to be a sinensis)
Autumn Light
Cabaret
Cosmopolitan
Graziella (blooms a bit earlier than Gracillimus, which some winters doesn't even bloom in zone 5)
Malepartus
Morning Light
Nippon
Sarabande
Silberfeder
Strictus

I love the graziella. I almost looks similar to the pic I posted earlier.

http://www.bluestem.ca/miscanthus-graziella.htm

Thank you so much! :)

Graziella has really pretty blooms. The fact that they open in August (early for Miscanthus) is a big plus in the northern growing areas.

Graziella foliage is a bit finer and narrower than the miscanthus in the photo, but the plumes will be similar.

Do they spread? Or do I have to buy many so that they looks dense?

They'll grow in an expanding clump. Figure on 1/2 as much girth as height. For a massed planting appearance, I'd space 3 to 5 ft on center.

What about in winter, do we cut them short and only leave like 5" of them from ground?

By the way, I got an email reply from the nursery. I sent them the same pic I posted here. They're telling me that it's "Erianthus Hardy Pampas grass". Do you guys agree with them?

It's definitely NOT Erianthus (Ravenna grass), which is much stiffer with upright type plumes on long, bamboo-like stalks. This is a very handsome grass, but it looks very different.

You have a Miscanthus--no doubt.

It's a miscanthus...not erianthus.

Here's a shot of Erianthus ravennae in bloom. Very tall plumes that resemble pampas grass plumes...where the common name Northern pampas Grass comes from.

Miscanthus seed heads are very distinguishable from others.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Thanks guys! Looking at your picture of the Erianthus, looks like the top is not color white. Am I correct?

Good thing is that the nursery carry both the Erianthus and Graziella. :)

About my question earlier, do we cut them during winter as short as 1 foot? It's because, my officemate has an ornamental grass and he told me that he always cuts it around November. He doesn't know though what OM it is. I actually saw it 3 weeks ago. It was dead and 1 ft tall. It was like bamboo sticks that are 4mm-7mm in diameter.

Erianthus flowers go from pink to silver and are never quite as white as Graziella.

I would not cut back until after winter, in early spring, just as new fresh basal growth becomes visible. You can take the miscanthus down at that time to a few inches if you choose.

Ok. What about this one which I found on top of our Ornamental Grass forum? :) Is it also Graziella? It's black and white though.

cortaderia selloanna - pampas grass - not hardy in zone 5

Your picture looks to be a Miscanthus Malepartus to me.

Could be Malepartus, or maybe it's not even a sinensis. Could be a naturalized grouping of Miscanthus sacchariflorus. the foliage (at least what's visible near the tree) has that softer, weepy appearance.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:856379}}

grass_guy,

I need your help again. I found a new grass but it's more gorgeous. Do you know something that is very similar to the picture below buy hardy in my area, zone 5?

Looks like Cortaderia selloana 'Pumila'. Hardy only to zone 6. You could try Sporobolus wrightii, Erianthus ravenna, Miscanthus Malepartus. None offer the identical characteristics, but are hardier grasses that you might also enjoy.

Here is a link that might be useful: