ornamental grasses

perennials for sun

perennials for shade

  • Andropogon gerardii (Big bluestem)

  • Andropogon scoparius (Little bluestem)

  • Arrhenatherum elatius ssp. bulbsoum (Bulbous Oat Grass)

  • Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama)

  • Bouteloua gracilis (Blue grama)

  • Calamagrostis acutiflora (Feather Reed Grass)

  • Calamagrostis brachytricha (Korean Feather Reed Grass)

  • Carex (Sedge)

  • Carex elata (Tufted sedge)

  • Carex hachijoensis (Japanese sedge)

  • Carex morrowii (Japanese sedge)

  • Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats)

  • Deschampsia caespitosa (Hair grass)

  • Elymus canadensis (Canada Wild Rye)

  • Elymus villosus (Silky Wild Rye)

  • Elymus virginicus (Virginia Wild Rye)

  • Erianthus ravennae (Plume grass)

  • Festuca glauca (Blue fescue)

  • Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue oat grass)

  • Hierochloe odorata (Vanilla Sweet Grass)

  • Imperata ‘Red Baron’ (Japanese Blood Grass)

  • Juncus effuses (Common rush)

  • Juncus tenuis (Path rush)

  • Koeleria macrantha (Junegrass)

  • Koeleria vallesiana (Somerset hair grass)

  • Miscanthus (Maiden grass)

  • Molinia (Tall moor grass)

  • Oryzopsis hymenoides (Indian rice grass/ sand grass)

  • Panicum amarum (Switchgrass)

  • Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides (Fountain grass)

  • Pennisetum orientale (Fountain grass)

  • Pennisetum setaceum (Fountain grass)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium (Little bluestem)

  • Scirpus atrovirens (Dark-green bulrush)

  • Scirpus cyperinus (Wool grass)

  • Sesleria (Moor Grass)

  • Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass)

  • Spartina pectinata (Prairie cordgrass)

  • Spodiopogon sibiricus (Frost grass, Siberian Graybeard)

  • Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie dropseed)

  • Uniola latifolia (River oats)

  • Calamagrostis acutiflora (Feather Reed Grass)

  • Calamagrostis brachytricha (Korean Feather Reed Grass)

  • Carex (Sedge)

  • Carex morrowii (Japanese sedge)

  • Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats)

  • Elymus villosus (Silky Wild Rye)

  • Elymus virginicus (Virginia Wild Rye)

  • Hakonechloa macra (Japanese Forest Grass)

  • Hystrix patula (Bottlebrush Grass)

  • Uniola latifolia (River oats)

perennial clumping

  • Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Avalanche’, ‘Eldorado’, ‘Karl Foerster’, ‘Overdam’

  • Calamagrostis brachytricha

  • Chasmanthium latifolium - reseeds

  • Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’ - reseeds

  • Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’, ‘Schottland’

  • Erianthus ravennae

  • Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’

  • Helictotrichon sempervirens

  • Helictotrichon sempervirens ‘Sapphire’

  • Koeleria vallesiana ‘Mountain Breeze’

  • Miscanthus – nearly all

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Skyracer’, ‘Variegata’, ‘Windspiel’

  • Oryzopsis hymenoides

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’, ‘Dust Devil’, ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Northwind’

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’

  • Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’

  • Sesleria caerulea

  • Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’

perennial non-clumping

  • Arrhenatherum elatius ssp. bulbsoum ‘Variegatum’

  • Chasmanthium latifolium - clumping, but reseeds Hakonechloa macra - non-invasive

  • Imperata ‘Red Baron’

  • Miscanthus – some are non-clumping

  • Phalaris arundinacea

annuals

  • Arundo (Giant reed)

  • Carex (Sedge)

  • Cymbopogon citrates (Lemon grass)

  • Cyperus (Papyrus sedge)

  • Juncus (Rush)

  • Lagurus (Hare’s tail)

  • Muhlenbergia capillaries (Pink Muhly grass)

  • Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ (Black mondo)

  • Pennisetum annual (Fountain grass)

  • Pennisetum glaucum (Millet)

  • Scirpus cernuus (Fiber optic grass)

  • Stipa (Korean feather grass)

perennials 3 to 5 feet tall

  • Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Avalanche’, ‘Eldorado’, ‘Karl Foerster’, ‘Overdam’

  • Calamagrostis brachytricha

  • Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Schottland’

  • Elymus canadensis

  • Elymus villosus

  • Elymus virginicus

  • Hystrix patula

  • Miscanthus ‘Adagio’, ‘Autumn Red’, ‘Purpurascens’, ‘Super Stripe’

  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Dixieland’, ‘Gold Bar’, ‘Graziella’, ‘Little Nicky’ / ‘Hinjo’, ‘Little Zebra’, ‘Morning Light’, ‘Nippon’, ‘Strictus’, ‘Yaku Jima’

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Moorflamme’

  • Panicum ‘Prairie Sky’, ‘Ruby Ribbons’, ‘Shenandoah’, ‘Trailblazer’

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Dust Devil’, ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Prairie Fire’, ‘Rotstrahlbusch’

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Desert Plains’, ‘Foxtrot’, ‘Red Head’

  • Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’

  • Schizachyrium ‘MinnBlueA’

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’, ‘Prairie Blues’

  • Scirpus atrovirens

  • Scirpus cyperinus

  • Sorghastrum ‘Indian Steel’

  • Spodiopogon sibiricus

perennials under 1 foot tall

  • Bouteloua gracilis

  • Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’

  • Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’

  • Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’, ‘Naomi’, ‘Nicholas’

  • Juncus tenuis

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Little Luke’

  • Sesleria autumnalis

  • Sesleria caerulea

perennials above 5 feet tall

  • Andropogon gerardii

  • Erianthus ravennae

  • Miscanthus ‘Silver Arrow’, ‘Silver Feather’

  • Miscanthus giganteus

  • Miscanthus sinsensis v. condensatus ‘Cabaret’

  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’, ‘Graziella’, ‘Grosse Fontaine’, ‘Huron Star’, ‘Huron Sunrise’, ‘Malepartus’, ‘Strictus’, ‘Variegatus’

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Skyracer’, ‘Windspiel’

  • Panicum amarum ‘Dewey Blue’, ‘Badlands’, Cloud Nine’

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, ‘Thundercloud’

  • Panicum ‘Dallas Blues’

  • Pennisetum ‘Tall Tails’

  • Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’

  • Spartina pectinata

perennials 1 to 3 feet tall

  • Andropogon gerardi

  • Andropogon scoparius

  • Arrhenatherum elatius ssp. bulbsoum ‘Variegatum’

  • Bouteloua curtipendula

  • Carex ‘Beatlemania’, ‘Blue Zinger’, ‘Kaga Nishiki’, ‘Silver

  • Sceptre’

  • Carex elata ‘Bowles Golden’

  • Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’

  • Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’

  • Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’

  • Deschampsia ‘Northern Lights’

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘Albostriata’, ‘Aureola’, ‘Beni-Kazi’, ‘Fubuki’, ‘Naomi’, ‘Nicolas’

  • Helictotrichon sempervirens ‘Sapphire’

  • Hierochloe odorata

  • Imperata ‘Red Baron’

  • Juncus effuses

  • Koeleria macrantha

  • Koeleria vallesiana ‘Mountain Breeze’

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Variegata’

  • Oryzopsis hymenoides

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’, ‘Piglet’

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’, ‘Carousel’, The Blues’

  • Sporobolus heterolepis - heat/drought tolerant

  • Sporobolus heterolepis ‘Tara’

  • Uniola latifolia

perennial bloom time: early summer

  • Calamagrostis brachytricha

  • Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’

  • Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’

  • Koeleria vallesiana ‘Mountain Breeze’

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Rotstrahlbusch’

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’

  • Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’

perennial bloom time: late summer to fall

perennials with beautiful plumes

  • Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Avalanche’, ‘Eldorado’, ‘Karl Foerster’, ‘Overdam’

  • Chasmanthium latifolium

  • Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’

  • Elymus villosus

  • Erianthus ravennae

  • Miscanthus – all

  • Molinia - all

  • Panicum - all

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Desert Plains’, ‘Little Bunny’, ‘Piglet’, ‘Red Head’

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’, ‘Prairie Blues’

  • Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’

  • Spodiopogon sibiricus

  • Sporobolus heterolepis heat/drought tolerant

  • Deschampsia caespitosa

  • Erianthus ravennae

  • Miscanthus - all

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Moorflamme’, ‘Skyracer’, ‘Windspiel’

  • Oryzopsis hymenoides

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Dust Devil’

  • Panicum ‘Dallas Blues’

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Desert Plains’, ‘Hameln’, ‘Little Bunny’, ‘Piglet’, ‘Red Head’

  • Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’

  • Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’

perennials with fall color

perennial: midwest native

  • Carex elata ‘Bowles Golden’ (yellow)

  • Deschampsia ‘Northern Lights’ (pinkish)

  • Erianthus ravennae (yellow)

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ (yellows)

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ (red/pink)

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘Beni-Kazi’ (red)

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘Fubuki’ (rosey pink)

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘Naomi’ (red/purple)

  • Hakonechloa macra ‘Nicolas’ (orange/red)

  • Miscanthus ‘Autumn Red’ (red/purple)

  • Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’ (reddish)

  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Graziella’ (copper/red)

  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Grosse Fontaine’ (reddish)

  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Huron Star’ (purple)

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Moorflamme’ (golden/purple)

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Skyracer’ (yellow)

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Windspiel’ (yellow)

  • Panicum ‘Ruby Ribbons’ (burgundy)

  • Panicum ‘Shenandoah’ (burgundy/wine)

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Badlands’ (blue w/ purple tips)

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’ (bluish w/ purple)

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ (yellow)

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ (golden)

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Prairie Fire’ (wine red)

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Rotstrahlbusch’ (red)

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Desert Plains’ (deep red/orange/gold)

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Foxtrot’ (red/orange)

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Red Head’ (gold)

  • Schizachyrium ‘MinnBlueA’ (red)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’ (red)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’ (purple, red, pink, orange)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’ (copper/pink/red)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Prairie Blues’ (pink/orange)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘The Blues’ (burgundy)

  • Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’ (gold)

  • Spartina pectinata (bright gold)

  • Spodiopogon sibiricus (burgundy)

  • Sporobolus heterolepis Heat/drought tolerant (yellow)

  • Sporobolus heterolepis ‘Tara’ (orange/red)

  • Andropogon gerardii (Big bluestem)

  • Andropogon scoparius (Little bluestem)

  • Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama)

  • Bouteloua gracilis (Blue grama)

  • Carex (sedge)

  • Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats)

  • Elymus canadensis (Canada Wild Rye)

  • Elymus villosus (Silky Wild Rye)

  • Elymus virginicus (Virginia Wild Rye)

  • Hierochloe odorata (Vanilla Sweet Grass)

  • Hystrix patula (Bottlebrush Grass)

  • Juncus effuses (Common rush)

  • Juncus tenuis (Path rush)

  • Koeleria macrantha (Junegrass)

  • Panicum amarum (Switchgrass)

  • Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium (Little bluestem)

  • Scirpus atrovirens (Dark-green bulrush)

  • Scirpus cyperinus (Wool grass)

  • Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

  • Spartina pectinata (Prairie cordgrass)

  • Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie dropseed) - heat/drought tolerant

  • Uniola latifolia (River oats)

perennials for rock gardens

  • Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’

  • Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’

  • Helictotrichon sempervirens ‘Sapphire’

  • Koeleria vallesiana ‘Mountain Breeze’

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’

perennials for wet areas

  • Acorus Calamagrostis

  • Carex elata ‘Bowles Golden’ and select others

  • Eleocharis

  • Equisetum

  • Juncus

  • Miscanthus – some varieties

  • Molinia caerulea ‘Variegata’

deer-resistant perennials

  • Bouteloua curtipendula

  • Calamagrostis acutiflora

  • Carex elata ‘Bowles Golden’

  • Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’

  • Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’

  • Chasmanthium latifolium

  • Erianthus ravennae

  • Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’

  • Hakonechloa macra

  • Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’

  • Miscanthus sinensis

  • Panicum amarum

  • Panicum virgatum

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides

  • Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’

  • Schizachyrium scoparium

  • Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’

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Ornamental Grasses List