Last Updated on May 21, 2026 by Sophie Wilesmith
We are inviting UK growers to take part in our plug planting programme launching in spring 2027, featuring Aphrodite 43, a tall, bushy F1 Miscanthus genotype developed through two decades of collaborative research with Aberystwyth University.
About the variety
Aphrodite 43 is a high-performing novel genotype grown from pelleted seeds into overwintered plugs. The plugs will be UK-grown and delivered directly to the field, keeping transport costs low and ensuring robust establishment. Miscanthus Aphrodite likes it warm and resists heat stress much better than the common Miscanthus giganteus MxG.
What we’re looking for
We are seeking growers with a minimum of 20 hectares of medium to light soils that have a good spring rainfall record. Planting is carried out at a density of 20,000 plugs per hectare in a diamond layout, designed to minimise inter-plant gaps and maximise canopy closure.
Proven at scale – lessons from Germany
We have just returned from a landmark large-scale planting in Germany with excellent results. Our partner, a major German peat producer, is integrating Miscanthus to replace at least 5% of their peat content, offering a reduced-peat growing medium for professional glasshouse operators. Several hundred hectares have already been established for their own supply chain, a powerful validation of plug-planted Miscanthus at commercial scale.
Plug-planted varieties are particularly well-suited to operations of this size: nurseries can be located close to the field, transport is streamlined, establishment rates are strong, and planting speed is significantly higher than with conventional rhizome methods.
Interested?
If you’d like to learn more about participating in the programme or to discuss whether your land is suitable, please get in touch with us.
