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I first fell in love with ornamental grasses in the early 80s. Back then, they were hard to find, even from catalog sources. But one day, while shopping at a then fledgling little nursery called Southwood, I came across five, solid green, one-gallon Maiden grasses, and bought them all. True story.
The merits of ornamental grasses are many -- incredibly tough, ridiculously low maintenance, and absolutely beautiful, both their foliage and their flowery plumes that sway in the slightest breeze. They grow in average soil, are drought tolerant after their first year in the ground, need nothing more than an annual haircut, and their seed heads serve as a source of food for birds. Most, but not all, do best in full sun, and I’ll let you decide whether they need fertilizer or not.
They’re also the perfect plant for folks new to gardening because they're so darn easy to grow, and that helps instill confidence in newbies' ability to garden.
Thankfully, the choices among ornamental grasses available these days has grown considerably since I first planted them 40 years ago.
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| The plumes of ornamental grasses are technically known as an inflorescence, meaning a cluster of flowers on the end of a stem or branch. |
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Maiden Grasses (Miscanthus)
This is the OG genus of ornamental grasses, and there are gorgeous selections with solid green or variegated (either vertically or horizontally) foliage. Most tend to grow roughly 4’ to 5’ tall and wide and all of them develop a graceful, arching shape. Plumes are airy and beautiful, especially as they sway in a gentle breeze. |
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Fountain Grasses (Pennisetum)
Named for their distinctive plumes, these are among the smaller of the ornamental grasses -- 2’ to 3’ tall -- making them especially showy in mass plantings or as border plants. Perhaps the most familiar is the hugely popular Purple Fountain grass, although sadly, it isn’t hardy, whereas all the others are. |
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Switch Grasses (Panicum)
Switch grasses are another great group, and many species make up the major grasses of the Tallgrass Prairie. Most grow to about five-feet tall but only two-feet wide, making them terrific as vertical specimens or en masse. They also grow well in wet or boggy sites, and many develop striking fall color. |
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Pampas Grass (Cortaderia)
Pampas grass is perhaps the most popular of all the ornamental grasses in this area. And lucky for us, it’s not invasive (although in several states, notably California and Oregon, it’s considered a noxious weed). With eight-foot plumes towering above the five-foot foliage, it’s a real attention getter. |
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Feather Reed Grasses (Calamagrostis)
Another grass with an upright growth form, Feather Reed grasses are especially attractive because although their foliage remains relatively short -- say 2’ tall and wide -- their plumes can reach 6’. This is another grass that will tolerate wet feet, but does well in dry soils too. |
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Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium)
Need an ornamental grass for shade? This one fits the bill. Foliage is a deep green, and its seed heads look just like oats. Grows to about 2’ tall in evenly moist or dry soils. I should warn you that unlike other ornamental grasses, it’s not sterile, and has a tendency to reseed thanks to birds, but it’s not at all invasive. |
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Big BlueStem (Andropogon)
Another grass native to the Tallgrass Prairie, Blue Stem makes a dramatic vertical statement with plumes that may reach 8’ tall! And the foliage (which usually hovers around 2’) changes throughout the seasons -- green in spring, red-bronze tips in summer, and deep purple in fall. Grows best in moist, fertile soil. |
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Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia)
Yet another North American native, this grass is a real show-stopper when it comes to late-season color thanks to its pink plumes, and it grows in clay as well as thin, rocky soils. Typically grows to roughly 4’ tall and 3’ wide. Looks great on its own, but puts on a truly spectacular show when planted en masse. |
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Japanese Forest Grass
My favorite ornamental grass for shade, especially the selections with gold to chartreuse foliage. This grass is great for brightening shady spots in the garden. And it grows equally well in the ground or in containers. The gently arching leaves tend to grow in one direction, giving it the appearance of a cascading waterfall. Grows to about 2’ tall and wide. |
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There are dozens of other great grasses or grasslike plants worthy of inclusion in any garden, including Acorus, sedges (definitely worth checking out), wispy Mexican Feather grass, Blue Grama grass, and bamboo (especially Fargesia, which doesn’t spread). Check them out on our website.
So if you haven’t already discovered the world of ornamental grasses, you owe it to yourself to ponder a place in your landscape where one – or a dozen – might be just right. And if you can’t find such a spot, remember that most of them grow quite nicely and look fantastic in containers.
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| Some species of bamboo, which is a grass, can grow up to 1.5 inches/hour! |
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Ornamental grasses make great standalone specimens. But they’re equally effective for flanking entrances, covering unsightly utility boxes and gas meters, creating screens for privacy, and as a three-season hedge.
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Tip Of The Week
When cutting back grasses in late winter, wear gloves and long sleeves, because the leaf blades can be really sharp and inflict lots of nasty paper cuts. |
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