Ornamental Grasses

1
Ornamental Grasses
2
Culture

• True grasses
• full sun
• Drought tolerant
• Little supplemental fertilization
• Pest free
• Low maintenance
• Cut back in late winter, early spring
• Inflorescences can be used as cut flowers or dried

3
Arundo donax

• Giant Reed, Poaceae, Z6
• Descriptive Charateristics/Culture
• 15 tall, gray-green leaves, spread by rhizomes,
  invasive in damp, sunny places
• Pink inflorescence, drying to silver
• Turns brown at freezing
• Landscape Use
• Specimen or background

Arundo donax Variegata
4
Acorus gramineus

• Dwarf Sweet Flag, Araceae, Z 5
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• Less than 12tall, leaves are narrow and
  sedge-like, partial shade, wet areas
• Grown mainly for foliage
• Landscape Uses
• Slow-growing groundcover, wet boggy areas

Acorus gramineus Variegatus
5
Calamagrostis x acutiflora

• Feather Reed Grass, Poaceae, Z4
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• 4-6 feet tall, deep green foliage, cool season
  grower, clump forming and upright
• Flowers are loosely feathers, slightly purple,
  turning light when mature
• Landscape Uses
• Specimen, or vertical accent, screen

6
Carex morrowii

• Kan suge, Cyperaceae, Z5
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• 12 tall, narrow sedge leaves, clumping, spreads
  by rhizomes, non-invasive
• Landscape Uses
• Groundcover, container

Carex morrowii Old Gold
7
Cortaderia selloana

• Pampas Grass, Poaceae, Z 7-9
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• 3-10 ft. Arching, leaves 3/4 wide, sharp leaves
  can irritate skin,
• Flowers Sept.-Oct.
• Landscape Uses
• Specimen, limited by size

8
Festuca ovina glauca

• Blue fescue, Poaceae, Z 4
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• Six to ten inches, blue-gray foliage, waxy in
  appearance, cool season, not tolerant of summer
  heat
• Landscape Uses
• Color accent, container, groundcover masses

Elijah Blue
9
Hakonechloa macra

• Hakone Grass, Poaceae, Z 4
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• 1-3 feet, rich green, arching graceful stems,
  similar to bamboo in appearance, warm season,
  spread by rhizomes and stolons, requires
  substantial shade in warm climates
• Landscape Uses
• Groundcover, accent, container
• Cvs. Aureola, more sun drought tolerant

10
Miscanthus sinensis

• Miscanthus, Poaceae, Z 5
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• 4-7 feet tall depending on cv., sharp green
  leaves with white stripe down center, makes nice
  clumps, may re-seed and become invasive in warm
  wet areas, warm season
• Flowers in reddish racemes turning silver-white
  in fall
• Landscape Uses
• Screen, specimen, accent

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Miscanthus sinensis
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Miscanthus sinensis

• Adagio
• Flowers held above foliage, to 5 feet, smaller
  cultivar
• Gracillimus
• Fine texture, gracefully rounded, flowers very
  attractive, to 7 feet, golden yellow in fall
• Morning Light
• Edges of leaves white
• November Sunset
• Leaves narrow, flowers red

13
Miscanthus sinensis

• Strictus (Porcupine Grass)
• Leaves wide with yellow horizontal stripes
• Yaku Jima
• Name given to dwarf varieties

14
Muhlenbergia capillaris

• Pink Muhly, Poaceae, Z 7
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• To 2 feet tall, thread-like leaves, weeping habit
• Purple flowers resemble babys breath
• Landscape Uses
• Naturalizing, accent, container, groundcover mass

15
Panicum virgatum

• Switch grass, Poaceae, Z 4
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• 4-8 feet tall, dark green leaves, upright growth,
  similar to cut corn, warm season, year round
  interest
• Flowers very airy
• Landscape Uses
• Vertical accent, specimen, screen
• Cultivars
• Heavy Metal - Blue Switch Grass
• Clound Nine- Tall Switch Grass

16
Pennisetum alopecuroides

• Fountain grass, Poaceae, Z 6
• Descriptive Characteristics/Culture
• 2-3 feet tall, narrow leaves less than 1/2
  diameter, green in summer turning golden yellow
• Flowers, racemes resembling foxtails, dark purple
  to creamy white depending on cv., may be invasive
• Landscape Uses
• Accent, groundcover
• Cultivars
• Hameln-Creamy white flowers
• Little Bunny - Dwarf

17
Phalaris arundinacea

• Ribbon Grass, Poaceae, Z 4
• Descriptive Characteristics
• To 5 feet tall, green upright foliage, 1 inch
  wide, cool season, dormant in summer, prefers
  some shade, may be invasive
• Remove inflorescence, doesnt add to appearance
• Landscape Uses
• Accents, groundcovers, containers
• Cultivars
• Feesey- Strawberries and Cream
• Picta- White variegation