Ornamental grass makes a big impact in the garden, with many varieties hardy and easy to grow, providing year-round interest. It also tends to get taller, reaching a height of 5 feet or more, and about 4 feet wide. Most Grasses prefer sunny locations, moist soil but well draining. By using The Spruce, you accept our, 10 Best Ornamental Grasses for Containers, 20 Best Tall Plants for Container Gardens, 8 Best Ornamental Grasses to Add Privacy to the Garden, 15 Recommended Flowering Shrubs for Your Home, 12 Fall Plants for Container Gardens and Hanging Baskets, 29 Shrubs That Grow in Full or Partial Shade, 15 Best Zone 7 Plants to Put In Your Garden, 11 Great Fragrant Trees for Your Landscape. Well, not as low as closely sheared … This plant, with its tall, thin shafts and fluffy coiffures, has a delicate structure that lends a touch of charm to the harsh winter landscape. You can also use an ornamental grass in a container garden, as part of the thriller, filler, spiller theory. How low does blue fescue (Festuca glauca) grow? New Plant. It is an ideal summer blue grasses, thriving in dry conditions, and full sun with minimal maintenance needed. Mexican Thread grass Stipa tenuissima. Lilyturf likes water but also prefers well-drained soil. Actually, some fescues are grown as lawns, such as the clumping red fescue. Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) Also known as the big blue lilyturf, it is actually an evergreen grass-like … Ornamental Grasses. Ornamental grass, by contrast, is one of the yard's actors. Mexican feather grass survives in dry conditions and thrives just fine after being cut back. Once the seedlings are sturdy enough, prick them out into modular trays and grow them on. But in the world of ornamental grasses, fescues are considered low-growers and are often used as edgings, borders, and ground covers. Variegated Liriope ( Lirope ): Also known as monkey grass, this plant is deer resistant and attracts hummingbirds to the area. Blue Fescue. It grows best in damp, rich soil and likes moisture during the hottest months. This deciduous grass can be identified by its slender stems, which look like tiny bamboo stalks. Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra) comes from areas around Mt. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. Divide it every few years to rejuvenate it. In fall, that color morphs to a reddish-purple. Generally, most ornamental grasses are found in the 1 to 6 foot tall and 1 to 3 foot wide range. Cultivars such as 'All Gold' and 'Aureola' have variegated green and gold leaves. is a genus consisting of over 300 perennial grasses. Variegated selections (such as 'Aureola' or 'All Gold') have brightly colored foliage that light up shady corners. Water every 2-3 weeks when established. Another type of Pennisetum treated in the North as an annual is Pennisetum glaucum. The grasses produce on their own without the need for pruning or maintenance. The mature size of this grass is fairly predictable—usually 2 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. It can show up all over the yard, in sidewalk cracks, and down the street in neighbors' yards. If you're looking for a plant that offers more to look at earlier in the year, try Miscanthus sinensis Zebrinus (zones 5 to 9). Purple Majesty is so-called for its very dark foliage and cattail-like seed-heads. Because of its height, a plant such as plumegrass can be used as a focal point. Monkey grass uses for L. muscari are as a groundcover under trees or shrubs, as low edging plants along paved areas, or as the front of a foundation planting. Known botanically as Helictotrichon sempervirens, deer tend to leave this plant alone. In autumn it bears a dark berry. The heights and hardiness of the following plants vary greatly: These grass varieties are called "ornamental" for two reasons, both of which are good arguments for including them in your landscaping: The term, "ornamental," is used to distinguish this type of grass from "lawn" grass. This ornamental grass attains a height of 2 to 3 feet tall, with a similar spread. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. The seeds are at the very tips of the featherlike "blades," which wave in the gentlest of winds. Short Varieties of Ornamental Grasses. However, the 'Rubra' cultivar is relatively less aggressive and is sold in garden centers in many cold-winter areas, where it is easier to control than in warmer zones. Its spiky foliage is also burgundy. Check out 12 new ornamental grasses and grass-like varieties for growing in your greenhouse or the garden. Lilyturf (not a true ornamental grass, but a perennial) can be grown in zones 4 to 10 and reaches only about a foot in height. A typical clump size is 5 feet tall by 2 feet wide. This feathery ornamental grass forms small clumps. In landscape design, muhly grass looks best in large or mass clumps in perennial borders or native gardens, where its wispy pink blooms offer a lot of visual impact. No fall or winter landscape should be without tall ornamental grass. Kathleen Miller is a Master Gardener and Horticulturist with over 30 years experience in gardening and sustainable farming. Choose the best habit for your garden needs. is actually a member of the grass family. It tolerates some shade, but grow it in full sun (and well-drained soil) if you wish to enjoy the signature blue hues of its foliage to the fullest. Maiden grass bears coppery tassels as seed-heads in early fall, eventually turning silvery and adorning the plant as a "plume." Some native plant organizations consider it invasive. Most people understand that ornamental grasses need a good haircut, at some point, after they have turned brown. To add more confusion, turf fescues are classified as tall fescues, the seeds of which were brought to the United States from Europe in the early 19th century. Scientific name: Festuca glauca. The majority of ornamental grasses prefer a warm, sunny spot with free-draining soil, although there are exceptions. To avoid this mess, tie the dead stalks up into a bundle before you make your cuts. Ornamental grasses deliver a lot of bang for the buck. Andropogon gerardii Indian Warrior is a cultivar of big bluestem grass suitable for zones 3 to 9. Ornamental grass is used in landscape design the way you use flowers, shrubs, and trees. If you prefer your blades to be gold-colored, try golden Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra Aureola). Blue Fescue. This ornamental grass, too, has a spiky flower, ranging in color from white to lavender. Some examples of this type of plant are tufted hairgrass, striped tuber oat grass and crinkled hairgrass. Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) Another plant with a silvery-blue hue is the Blue Oat … Ornamental grass is very different from the "grass" that many of us have reluctantly been mowing since our childhoods. It also includes such tasks as: David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. There is a rich variety of colored ornamental grasses including blue, purple and even black. What Makes These Types of Grasses "Ornamental"? But the "how" is worth considering, too to avoid making a mess when you trim ornamental grass. It tolerates a little shade, but be sure to grow it in full sun to achieve maximum darkness. It can be tricky to achieve the best coloration with this plant, but it will often turn a wonderfully warm golden color when grown in shade. Ornamental grass plant is a low-maintenance landscape element once it’s planted. Especially when they send up their showy blooms to add even more interest. Mexican feather grass also spreads. Winter interest is one of the main excuses for growing ornamental grass, and you lose that if you trim in fall. Upright clumps spread slowly underground by runners. ). Once you start landscaping with ornamental grasses you will be amazed by how many varieties, sizes, shapes, and colors are available. To be safe, confirm that your state's laws permit use of this grass before buying or planting it. Growth Habit: Ornamental grasses vary widely in their growth habits. Its purplish flower spikes are followed by fluffy, attractive seed-heads tinged with purple or burgundy. Due to its rapacious spreading habit, monkey grass uses for L. spicata are generally restricted to use as a ground cover in areas where maximum coverage is desired. You might have noticed Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima or Stipa tenuissima) showing up in gardens and other areas all over town. Fakahatchee grass, photo taken at Kerbys Nursery. In a garden, it looks striking next to lime green and silver grasses and plants such as oat grass or sweet potato vine. Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' or Japanese blood grass is a colorful red, yellow, and green grass that is native to Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia, India, Micronesia, and Melanesia. C 2 … The grass is great for rock gardens with succulents, native landscaping, borders, and mass plantings. It is striking in containers or as a color accent in borders, especially with darker green plants or those with purple flowers. Most of them share an important trait: low-maintenance. This type of grass is considered a low growing ornamental grass, ideal for using as decorative ground cover, border detailing, or edging. The best perennial ornamental grasses for shade and sun, towering tall ornamental grasses, variegated grasses... Ornamental grasses are low maintenance...perfect as deer resistant ground cover. In terms of aesthetics, functional grass is mainly negative space. In regions that do not experience freezing temperatures, this grass is a perennial. If the soil is too dry, it can fade away or die. Plumegrass (Erianthus ravennae) is grown in USDA planting zones 4 to 9. Starting green, the leaves turn purple in the middle of the summer. You don't walk on ornamental grass, so there's no pressing need to maintain it at a certain height. Purple fountain (Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum) is a tropical ornamental grass. Low grasses can be tucked into small areas for added interest. Grows 18 inches tall and wide. Purple fountain grass can almost be a year-round performer if you treat it right. For nearly nonstop performance, strength, and visual impact, few plants compare to ornamental grasses. It is also sometimes called porcupine grass (Miscanthis sinensis 'Strictus'). Bamboo naturally grows in warm climates, but you can also find cold-hardy varieties, such as Bisetti (hardy to zone 4), Nuda (hardy to zone 4), Giant Leaf (hardy to zone 5), and Spectabilis (hardy to zone 5). Make sure you’re growing the right grass for the right spot. Its name comes from its seed pods, which look like oats. It is a shade plant. Pink muhly grass is also known as sweetgrass, gulf muhlygrass, mist grass, hairawn muhly, and the botanical name, Muhlenbergia capillaris. Spreaders tend to be taller and more dramatic, while clumping grasses form relatively short mounds. While this is not an easy task, after you have separated the clumps and replanted them elsewhere in the garden, you will have gained new plants for free. Not actually black, it is more of a dark greenish-purple; it looks striking when paired with light lavender, chartreuse, or lime-colored plants. rubra), which can be grown in zones 5 to 9. When it starts to spread out and the feathered flowers resemble wheat, it is time to deadhead the grass. Possessing a similar deep-red, purplish- bronze color, New Zealand flax's leaves are more broad or strap-like than the finer fountain grass. Select an area with partial shade and soil rich in compost for best results. Despite its beauty, some regions consider it invasive. Ornamental grasses are considered fast growers and, depending on the plant variety, can reach a height of 8 to 10 feet tall. Even after its leaves have dried and died, it provides visual interest to the winter landscape. It is easy to forget that bamboo (Bambusa sp. 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