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Ornamental Grasses - Quick Chart

 

Here is a quick chart of some favorite ornamental grasses to grow. There are some links for more information at the bottom of this page.

A nursery that has a display garden lets you see how plants mature and change through the season. This is especially important with grasses because they often appear bedraggled in containers, and don't reflect the striking beauty they develop once planted. Grasses are typically sold in 1, 2 and 5 gallon containers - ranging in price from $10 to $15 for one in a 2 gallon container.

 

 

VarietyHeightShapeBloom TimeCharacteristicsGrowing ConditionsHardiness
Arundo - Striped Gaint Reed 'donax variegatus'8'x10'UprightAugust-Sept.Strong variegation, large specimenFull sun/wet or dryZ6
Calamagrostis - Feather Reed Grass aruncinacea ‘Karl Forester’4'NarrowJune-Sept.stiff upright and early bloomingSunny, dry locations but tolerates heavy clay soilZ4-9
Chasmanthium - Northern Seas Oats latifolium3’SpreadingLate Summercolonize in part shade with arching branchesSun to shade wet or dryZ5-9
Cortaderia - Pampas Grass sellonana ‘Pumila’4-6’Compact / Densely tuftedmid summerfor smaller grasses but just as dramaticsun and dry soilZ6 (with protection) - 10
Deschampsia - Tufted Hair Grass cespitosa2’Compact / RoundedSummer/Long Bloomingdelicate, airy and attractiveCool season, sunny and moist to average soilZ4-9
Erianthus - Plume Grass ravennae9-12’SpecimenLate Summersilver-bronze inflorescence - hardy pampas like grassSun with dry conditionsZ6-9
Festuca - Fescue glauca ‘Elija Blue’8-10”CompactMid-Summervery popular blue grassCool season, morning sun, well drained soilZ4-8
Hakonechloa -Golden Variegated Hakone Grass macra ‘Aureola’12-18”Clumping and ArchingSummerbrilliant golden foliage streaked green for the shadePart shade to shade, average to moist soilZ6-9
Helictotrichon - Blue Oat Grass sempervirens ‘Sapphire’2’Robust ClumpEarly Summerbest blue color with broader foliageFertile, well drained soil in sunZ4-8
Imperata - Japanese Blood Grass ‘Red Baron’18”Slow SpreaderNonenice red coloration for part shade to full sunMoist, fertile, sunny locationZ6-9
Koleria - Blue Hair Grass
glauca 		12-18”ClumpingEarly Summerblue-gray foliage with airy felling Z6-9
Miscanthus - Maiden Grass purpurascens4-5’Spreading ClumpMid-Summerreddish foliage turns deeper in autumnSun, well drained average soilZ6-9
sinensis ‘Adagio’4’Wide ClumpLate Summerthin silver foliage with large pink blooms turning to whiteSun, well drained average soilZ6-9
sinensis ‘Dixieland’ 3-4’Dwarf ClumpLate SummerM. variegatus in miniature, wide green leaves with white stripesSun, well drained average soilZ6-9
sinensis 'Cabaret'6’UprightLate Summeran improved green and white variegated form with wider blades and stiffer habitSun, well drained average soilZ5-9
sinensis ‘Gracillimus'6-8’Tall - Upright VaseMid Autumnnarrow leaves with blooms of bronze-red holding up well into winterSun, well drained average soilZ5-9
sinensis ‘Morning Light’4-5’Tall ClumpEarly Autumnfine silver and green foliage for a delicate look and red to bronze inflorescenceSun, well drained average soilZ5-9
sinensis ‘Sarabande’5-6’Tall ClumpEarly Autumnfine silvery foliage with showy golden-copper plumesSun, well drained average soilZ4-9
sinensis ‘Silberfeder’6-8’Tall and OpenLate SummerVariegated, broad green leaves with white marginsSun, well drained average soilZ5-9
 sinensis ‘Strictus’5-6’Upright and WideLate Summerwide green blades with horizontal golden stripesSun, well drained average soilZ6-9
sinensis ‘Variegatus’5-7’UprightEarly AutumnBroad leaves with white marginsSun, well drained average soilZ5-9
sinensis ‘Yaku Jima’4’BroadLate SummerSilver plumes and reddish-brown fall colorSun, well drained average soilZ6-9
sinensis ‘Zebrinus’6-8’TallMid Autumnreddish blooms with light green foliage and horizontal yellow bandsSun, well drained average soilZ6-9
Molinia - Moor Grass caerulea ‘Variegata’12-18”ClumpLate Summergraceful plumes smoother finely variegated foliageSun, well drained average to poor soilZ4-8
litorialis ‘Skyracer’7-8’Clump-Airy PaniclesLate Summertall stems carry “see through” seed heads above cascading clump of foliageSun, well drained average to poor soilZ5-8
Panicum - Switch Grass virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’6-7’Upright-NarrowMid-Summerblue foliated with tall shoots of airy golden flowersSun, drought tolerant, average to poor soilZ5-9
virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’4-5’Upright-NarrowMid-Summersteel blue foliage and a very stiff habitSun, drought tolerant, average to poor soilZ5-9
virgatum ‘Shenadoah’3’Upright-ShorterMid-Summershowy bright red foliage and slower growingSun, drought tolerant, average to poor soilZ5-6
Pennisetum - Fountain Grass alopecuroides3-4’Arching ClumpMid-Summershowy, soft inflorescence carried above delicate foliage for a long bloom periodSun, well drained to dry soilZ5-9
alopecuroides ‘Hameln’1.5-2.5’Arching ClumpMid-Summerdwarf version of aboveSun, well drained to dry soilZ6-9
alopecuroides ‘Moudry’2-3’Cascading ClumpAutumnblack plumes are stiffer and blades are widerSun, well drained to moister soilZ6-9
orientale ‘Karley Rose’3’Upright-ClumpSummervery soft plumes are smokey rose in color all season longSun, well drained to dry soilZ6-9
setaceum ‘Rubrum’3-4’Upright - FlowingSummerpurple leaved with rich tan blooms on a prolific annual bloomerSun, well drained soil, feed regularly in a containerZ9-10
setaceum ‘Eaton Canyon’2’Compact - FlowingSummer1/4” blades with reddish-purple plumes - half the size of P. ‘Rubrum’Sun, well drained soil in small gardensZ9-10
Schizachyrium (Andropogon) - Little Bluestem scoparius ‘The Blues’2-3’Upright ClumpLate Summerblue foliage with hints of burgundy and pink in spring and fallSunny, dry locationsZ3-9
Sorghastrum - Indian Grass nutans ‘Sioux Blue’4-6’Stiff UprightMid-Summerbright blue foliage and attractive seed headsSun to part shade, drought tolerantZ4-9
Stipa - Feather Grass tenuissima2’Vase Shaped ClumpEarly Summervery silky blades and flower headsSunny, dry locationZ6 (with protection)-9

Helpful Links

http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Lawns/orna.htm

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07232.html (table for growing conditions)

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