A commonly grown eastern Asian species, but as yet uncommon as an escape to disturbed, open sites such as roadsides and old fields. This does seem to be increasing along highway verges. First collected in 1929 in Wayne Co., though without a clear indication that it was not planted. 

A collection from a dump in Berrien Co. is the variegated leaved cultivar ‘Zebrinus.’ This is a densely clumping species, unlike Miscanthus sacchariflorus.