My 'Gracillimus' started showing signs of life on April 10. They're about a foot tall now.

Darn, but thanks Donn. Anyway for me to tell if these things are dead? If they are, I have no idea what I did wrong. They were overwintered in a bed, and everything else in there came through fine.

Sue..don't give up on them yet. They may just be late to start growing. I'm 2 zones warmer than you, so I'd expect my warm season grasses to start earlier than yours. If you haven't got any growth by the end of Spring, they're probably dead. 'Gracillimus' is hardy to zone 4, but if your plants weren't well established (planted in the fall?), a harsh winter could have done them in. If you bought them at a reputable nursery, they'll probably stand behind them.

I have a related question about the Miscanthus grasses beginning growth late. I have some 'Silberfeder' grasses that haven't even sarted showing green growth at all. Are they normally very late? Only 2 of them have some green at the outer edges. This is their first year coming back, and they were planted last May.

All the other Miscanthus grasses are growing well. My 'Autumn Red' Flame grasses are about 10 inches high now and pretty thick. The 'Huron Sunrise' and 'Blue Wonder' are growing as well.

Thanks Donn.

Well, I think it is time to give up on them. As my little niece would put it, they are "dead, dead, dead". Not a bit of green even after several days in the 80s and 90s. Odd, since nothing else died, but every single one of these died (all 7).