These intensely red ornamental grasses turn the seasons into a colour spectacle

ARTICLE

PLANT SELECTION

Hanneke Tax, Thursday 8 January 2026

199 sec

Breeder Krzysztof Slowinski proudly talks about his Festuca 'Sunrise' and Miscanthus 'Lady in Red'

Polish ornamental grass grower and breeder Krzysztof Slowinski takes great satisfaction in the appreciation he receives for his cultivars. In this interview, he talks about his finest finds: ornamental grasses whose intense colours can rival a sunrise and reflect the progression of the seasons: Festuca 'Sunrise' and Miscanthus 'Lady in Red'.

Krzysztof Slowiński shows 'Lady in Red'

Krzysztof Slowinski runs nursery Slowinski in central Poland, which he founded 26 years ago. He is a fourth-generation horticulturist, but did not originally work with ornamental grasses. Slowinski explains: 'Previously, I specialised in vegetable production, both in open field and under glass. At a certain point, I decided to take my work in a different direction and started producing and selling ornamental plants, mainly conifers and deciduous shrubs. About two years later, I became strongly interested in ornamental grasses. I started with Pennisetum alopecuroides and Miscanthus sinensis. At that time, the range of interesting species and cultivars within this group was still limited in Poland.'

'With my background in vegetable seed propagation, I began sowing ornamental grasses on a small scale and observing the variations. At first, I focused on Pennisetum alopecuroides. Over time, I selected a plant that, after years of observation, became my first original cultivar: Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Lady U'. This plant is still grown today and also has admirers outside Poland, which gives me great satisfaction.'

New sunrise

This good result encouraged him to continue his selection work and to keep sowing ornamental grasses in search of new varieties. Slowinski says: 'I observed and searched for something unique. Eventually, I discovered an interesting mutation within Festuca and managed to isolate a new cultivar, which I named Festuca 'Sunrise' ('Miedzianobrody'). Miedzianobrody is Polish for "copper beard", together with "Sunrise" a fitting name for the grass with dark green leaves that turn copper-orange on the upper side in late autumn and winter. In summer, the flowers and flower stems have a bright orange-red colour. We first presented "Sunrise" around 2013 during the Festival of Grasses and Autumn Flowers at the Wojslawice arboretum. Although I only had a few plants, the displayed "Sunrise" attracted a lot of attention.'

And that was only the beginning. 'At the invitation of Vitroflora, I submitted Festuca 'Sunrise' in 2018 for the perennial plant competition of the International Stauden Union (ISU). The jury selected the ten most interesting plants from all entries, and Festuca 'Sunrise' was one of them. I was - and still am - very proud of this distinction. In 2019, Festuca 'Sunrise' won an award at the Green is Life trade fair in Warsaw, and in 2020 it won two gold medals at the Gardenia trade fair in Poznań.'

Festuca 'Sunrise' in the landscape

Festuca 'Sunrise' ('Miedzianobrody' PBR) EU 55021

The key characteristics of Festuca 'Sunrise' are its excellent winter hardiness, low water requirement, strong regrowth after pruning, fresh green foliage and the spectacular copper colour once the seeds mature.

'I strive for strong, disease-resistant and low-maintenance taxa that clearly stand out from what is already available on the market.'

Strong selections

'Every two years, I sow new batches of grasses for observation,' Slowinski explains his approach. 'I do not carry out controlled pollination; instead, I select seeds from plants that I believe have potential and could yield something interesting. I mainly do this in my spare time, because professionally I focus on the production of ornamental grasses for garden centres. In my breeding work, I aim to select plants that require minimal attention from the end user. I strive for strong, disease-resistant and low-maintenance taxa that clearly stand out from what is already available on the market.'

Red beauty

Slowinski is also proud of a newer cultivar he has developed: Miscanthus sinensis 'Lady in Red'. He says: 'We first presented this cultivar in 2024 at the Green is Life trade fair in Warsaw. The plant won the three main awards in the plant novelties competition: the gold medal in the Plant Novelties Competition, the Journalists' Award and first place in the online public vote. In 2025, the plant was shown at various trade fairs across Europe and received recognition at every event. For example, it was shortlisted at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, took first place at the Four Oaks Trade Show 2025 in the UK and won bronze at the Green Grand Prix GGP 2025.'

Slowinski explains how the colours of this cultivar develop through the seasons: 'In Poland, the leaves take on deep brown and burgundy tones during cold periods in May. As temperatures rise, some leaves turn green again, while new shoots emerge fresh green - a cycle that can repeat itself. The most intense colouring is visible at the end of September and the beginning of October, when bright red tones dominate and the inflorescence turns pure white. This colouring lasts until the end of October and, once dried, the plant remains decorative throughout winter thanks to its fluffy plumes. Important characteristics are the compact growth habit, medium size, long ornamental value, low site and water requirements, and excellent frost resistance.'

Miscanthus sinensis 'Lady in Red' PBR EU 63250

The most striking feature of Miscanthus sinensis 'Lady in Red' is the dynamic colour change of the leaves in response to temperature fluctuations throughout the growing season, from spring to late autumn.

Promising introductions

'We first came into contact with Plantipp when this company showed interest in our Festuca 'Sunrise',' Slowinski explains. 'They immediately recognised its unique qualities. Our cooperation has developed very well over the past years: I have met the owners and staff of Plantipp, and I greatly appreciate the collaboration and their fast and efficient communication. Plantipp represents us for both Festuca 'Sunrise' and Miscanthus sinensis 'Lady in Red'. The strength of Plantipp lies in its strong commitment to promoting and sharing information about the plants in its portfolio, while continuously searching for new, promising introductions. I am confident that our cooperation will continue for a long time.'

This article was previously published on 8 January 2026 on the Boom
In Business website.

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