Perennial Grasses can fit into any landscape whether you need an upright plant that doesn't spread too much or a tiny mounded accent plant. The range in size and shape is spectacular but the range in color and all year interest is also its best quality!
Grass Varieties:
Andropogon- Bluestem Grasses:
Bluestem Grasses are native to many parts of North America adapting to many different environments. They like to be in full sun and some of the recent cultivars are known for their fall color. Their size usually ranges anywhere from about 4-8 ft tall and about 2-3' wide.
Popular classes include:
Big Bluestem
Blackhawk
Red October
Dancing Wind
Schizachyrium- Little Bluestem:
Similar to the Bluestem Grasses, these are native to much of North America and recent cultivars are known for their fall color but typically starts as a blue-ish tint. With a hardiness zone ranging from 2-10 and growing about 1-5' tall, this is the perfect low maintenance and drought tolerant grass to fit in any landscape.
Popular classes include:
Standing Ovation
The Blues
Smoke Signal
Prairie Blues
Panicum- Switch Grasses:
Panicum is native to many parts of North America and can adapt to many environments. With a hardiness zone ranging of 3-9 and an array of different color foliage, you can't go wrong with Switch Grasses! They usually range from about 3-7' tall.
Popular classes include:
Heavy Metal
Northwind
Shenandoah
Hot Rod
Calamagrostis- Feather Reed Grasses:
Ranging from 2-6' tall, this is one of the most popular landscape grasses you will ever see- specifically Karl Forester. With the hardiness zone ranging from 3-9, and the large, bright tan seed heads in late summer, this grasses can make a large impact in any design. Although personally, I think the Karl Forester is overused and I love the variegated Avalanche variety much better.
Popular classes include:
Karl Forester
Avalanche
Overdam
Eldorado
Pennisetum- Fountain Grasses:
Native to Asia, Pennisetum have a hardiness zone of 4-10 depending on the cultivar. The Fountain Grass gets its name from the the fountain-like form it takes as the leaves flow over. These are largely known for their fluffy flower spikes in late summer and the even though they do best in full sun, they can tolerate part sun as well..
Popular classes include:
Hamlen
Little Bunny
Karly Rose
Desert Plains
Ginger Love
Cassian
Red Head
Miscanthus- Maiden Grasses:
Native to Asia, Miscanthus is most known for it its fluffy plumes in late summer and the many different cultivars to choose from! They are usually pretty tall growing grasses that form large billowing clumps. The hardiness zone ranges from 4-9 but check the culitvar before you purchase it!
Popular classes include:
Gracillimus
Morning Light
Adiago
Little Zebra
Variegated Japanese Silver Grass
Porcupine Grass
Graziella
Zebra
Molina- Purple Moor Grass:
Purple Moor Grass loves to be in full sun but is not considered drought tolerant like some of the other native grasses. They may require supplemented watering during those drought-like conditions. It isn't known for its fall color but the foliage does turn to the classic gold or orange fall colors. There is also a large plant height difference between cultivars- anywhere from 2-9' ft tall and 3-6' wide.
Popular classes include:
Skyracer
Moorhexe
Windspiel
Variegata
Festuca – Blue Fescue Grass
Festuca, although native to Europe, have a hardiness range of 4-8 and are one of the most beloved grasses for their form and color in the landscape industry. Small in stature, these small, compact, blue mounds grow about 8-18" tall and prefer to be in full sun.
Popular classes include:
Elijah Blue
Boulder Blue
Sea Urchin
Carex- Sedge Grasses:
Carex prefers to be in part sun and does need to have a higher moisture than most grasses we've talked about. Their hardniess zone ranges from 3-9 and they grow anywhere from 6"-3' tall and about 1-3' wide. Their small mounding form is perfect for a border plant in a higher moisture area in your landscape.
Popular classes include:
Ice Dance
EverColor® Everest Variegated Sedge
Hakonechloa- Japanese Forest Grasses:
These gorgeous grasses could be on the edge of hardiness depending on where you live. Make sure to check the plant before you buy since they can be hardy from zone 4-9 but I've typically found them around zone 5. One reason this grass is worth the try, is its love of the shade. Another reason is their natural gold-ish, lime color foliage and fluffy form!
Popular classes include:
Aureola
All Gold
Bowles Golden Sedge
Other notable varieties...
Prairie Dropseed- Sporobolus heterolepis
Northern Sea Oats- Chasmanthium latifolium
Blue Oat Grass- Helictotrichon sempervirens
Japanese Bloodgrass, Imperata cylindrica var. rubra
Purple Lovegrass- Eragrostis spectabilis
Fertilizer Requirements:
The type of fertilizer is up to you BUT typically using a balanced fertilizer or a fertilizer with a higher nitrogen is best for grasses.
If you look at the NPK (Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus) measurement on the package, you will see a combination of numbers like 10-10-10. If the first number is the largest (example: 30-10-10) that is a indication it is a high nitrogen fertilizer.
Other Facts:
Cut Seeds/Plumes- come of the seed heads can be the perfect filler for any floral arrangement. Some can be dried and used for years later!
Many grasses are known for fall color and winter interest. This is not one of those plants you need to trim before winter but you should in early spring before the new grass starts to emerge.
In early spring, you may not see you grass emerging, but don't worry! Grasses are one of the last perennials to pop out of the ground after winter. I would recommend some plants with interest surrounding your grasses so it isn't too bare.
For more Landscape information, check out the following podcasts and blog
Instagram Q&A:
I always ask followers if they had any specific questions, opinions or hot-takes I can address in this podcast and blog. Here are what people told me and and my answers for this topic:
"Best Midwestern grass suggestions?"
If you are looking for hardiness and survival, Bluestem or Little Bluestem is the best!
Switch Grasses and Feather Reed Grasses are probably next on the list of most reliable.
One of bonus grasses, Prairie Dropseed, is also a very reliable grass.
My personal favorite is Shenandoah Switch, Northern Sea Oats, and Ginger Love!
"I love grasses in the right landscape area. They can give height and interest."
YES! Exactly! I think they look their best assorted in different shapes and colors throughout the landscape. No matter what, they can give fullness and late summer/fall interest.
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Love, Holly (Owner & Creator of Houseplant Homebody LLC)
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