Ornamental Grasses - Displayed by Common Name in Ascending Order

Looking much like a black Liriope, Black Mondo Grass is a compact, densely growing, clump forming, evergreen, grass-like plant. When grown in full sun in the north, the foliage emerges purplish-green and then turns nearly jet black. It has a softly arching habit.

From early through midsummer, short spikes of light purple to white flowers (much like those of Liriope) are produced, followed by purplish black berries in the fall.

This selection forms a dense tuft of bluer-than-blue leaves that remain blue all season. Spikes of tan flowers in early summer. Excellent for mass planting, edging, or in the rock garden. Clumps are easily divided in early spring, and this should be done every 2 to 3 years. Evergreen in mild areas, in colder winter regions the leaves should be trimmed back in late winter right to the base. Flower spikes may also be removed in summer, if desired.

When it comes to ornamental grasses, Blue Fescue has long been a popular choice due to its diminutive size and interesting texture. Compared to classic variety ‘Elijah Blue’, ‘Blue Whiskers’ is a taller, more vigorous variety, with longer leaves and a brighter blue foliage color. The finely textured, bright silvery blue leaves form a fully rounded, robust clump with consistent flower coverage across the habit. Yellow-green flowers appear above the clump on 18-22” scapes in early summer and age to tan as the season progresses.

Soft powdery blue, spiky foliage that keeps its color year round makes this grass a top pick. ‘Elijah Blue’ is a small, clumping grass with a rounded habit. In early summer, wheat-like seed heads are produced on tall, spikey stalks in great numbers.

Blue Oat grass looks like a miniature water fountain, with its densely packed leaves gently spraying upward and arching back downward at the tips. This species displays spiky, blue-gray foliage that will draw your attention all season long.

In early summer, small, tan seed heads appear on tall stems held well above the foliage. In mild climates, the foliage is evergreen; it is semi-evergreen in colder zones.

Blue Oat Grass adds a small, coarse element to rock gardens, coastal gardens, or dry hillsides. It is also great in containers.

Big Bluestem are perfect for providing height and color to the garden, coming into prime a little earlier than other ornamental grasses. The foliage of ‘Blackhawks’ emerges deep green to dark purple in spring and deepens to near black by fall here in Michigan. This grass matures a little more than a foot shorter than ‘Indian Warrior’. One of the very best Big Bluestem from hybridizer Brent Horvath.

Dubbed the "monarch of the prairie", this native grass was once the dominant component of the American tallgrass prairie. It adapts easily to a wide range of soil and moisture conditions as long as full sun is provided. This long-lived grass has a variety of uses including screening, naturalizing, restoring prairies, and nesting materials for birds and mammals.

An arching variegated Feather Reed Grass varying from the typical upright habits of market cultivars. Leaves have wide creamy white margins edging green centers. The foliage cascades to the ground to form an arching habit. Expect the variegation to be most pronounced in spring. Cream flower spikes rise above the foliage in summer. Introduced by Emerald Coast Growers.

Perennial Plant of the Year for 2001. This is a cool season, clumping grass with a compact, erect growth habit. It is especially prized in the north where the magnificent, wheat-like seed heads appear in late spring and last all season long.

This bright green grass-like plant gets its name from the small flowers on the tip of each stem. Ideal for moist soils and an outstanding addition to any container garden.

This large fountain grass makes a great focal point in a sunny landscape. Many consider it to be the best hardy pennisetum available today.The finely textured, green leaves form a beautiful cascading, rounded clump.

This grass forms a dense clump of foliage as tall as it is wide. The narrow, green leaves turn a stunning golden color in the fall. In late summer, smoky-rose, bottlebrush-like plumes measuring 6-8 inches or longer are produced.

This seedling of ‘Ginger Love’ has the same intermediate height as its parent, but with noticeably darker seed heads. Its graceful, arching habit has medium to dark green foliage with burgundy accents. The darker red inflorescences begin to show color in late summer and continues until frost. Since this is not a sterile variety, make sure to deadhead seed heads so they don't seed around.

‘Hameln’ has finely textured leaves that are especially lovely when backlit by the early morning or late afternoon sun. Soft, greenish-cream colored panicles begin to appear in midsummer, a few weeks earlier than the species.

Uniform, upright clumps of gracefully arching, deep green foliage erupt into soft rose-purple plumes from early summer until frost. Enjoy its subtle straw color in the winter.

Gracefully arching, wine-purple foliage topped with burgundy, soft bottlebrush plumes up to 1’ long appear in midsummer. Enjoy its winter interest too-the plumes and the leaves will turn a subtle straw color after the first hard freeze.

The first-ever variegated Purple Fountain Grass! This striking cultivar was discovered and selected from a batch of P. ‘Rubrum’. The new leaves are longitudinally striped with white, green, and burgundy, lending a candy cane-like appearance to the foliage. In full sun, the green and white stripes become fully infused with hot pink, turning the entire clump into a glowing mass of hot pink and red foliage.

Like ‘Rubrum’, large, reddish purple, arching bottlebrush plumes top the clump from midsummer to frost, turning tan as they age.

An absolute giant of the ornamental grass world. Considered by many to be the best substitute for Pampas Grass in northern regions, they share similar plumes and height.

A brilliant grass that absolutely glows in the shade! This all-gold version of H. macra is brighter in color than Hak. m. ‘Aureola’, has a more upright habit, and is reportedly a more vigorous grower. It tends to be more chartreuse in heavier shade, and

Variegated but nearly all yellow, the leaf blades have narrow green stripes near the margins. Perhaps its most fascinating attribute is the cascading habit in which most of the leaves arch in the same direction, appearing much like a golden waterfall.

Blue Heaven™ has a taller, more upright habit that does not tend to flop like the species. In the summer, the foliage color is a brighter steel blue color with purple highlights, looking almost iridescent up close. From late summer through early fall, glossy purple panicles appear with fluffy tan seeds attached.

An improvement over the species, this cultivar was discovered and selected in a field of Schizachyrium seedlings by Mary Meyer at the University of Minnesota. The fall color is also improved over the species, including a mix of purple, blue, red, pink, burgundy, and orange pigments. This color persists into mid-fall, after which snow typically arrives in the Midwest.

This ornamental grass is a result of an extensive Schizachyrium breeding program from Walters Gardens, Inc. and is the perfect option for those looking to add to their native or prairie garden. The habit is very upright and columnar, and maintains its upright habit through fall. At 3½ feet tall, this grass will be the perfect backdrop to your garden. True to its name, ‘Blue Paradise’ has striking silvery blue stems in summer. In the fall, this grass takes center stage as the leaves develop a deep wine purple color. In early fall, tiny tan seed heads appear on the top half of the stems.

Schizachyrium is a great choice if you are looking to restore an eroded site.This species can have blue, green, or purple leaves, all of which turn a beautiful cinnamon-red in the fall. Fluffy silvery-white seed heads begin to appear in midsummer.

A neat and tidy appearance with distinctive gold banding, ease of maintenance, and reliable bloom makes this one of the most popular new ornamental grasses on the market.'Little Zebra’ flowers reliably every year in late summer.

The new gold (banded) standard in dwarf Miscanthus. This compact Maiden Grass has green foliage with pronounced yellow banding. The habit is solidly upright like ‘Strictus’, but stands half the height. Bandwidth flowers so late in the season it rarely ever sets seed. Try this grass as an accent in the landscape or a thriller in containers. Bred at North Carolina Sate University and introduced through Darwin Perennials.

Hybridized and selected at Walters Gardens, Inc. for its flowering performance earlier in the season, ‘Encore’ is a perfect choice for northern climates, where the growing season is shorter. Since it blooms so early, this ornamental grass has a chance for an encore performance, shooting up a secondary flush of coppery purple plumes before frost hits. Blooming starts in late summer to early fall and lasts until mid-fall. The flowers turn to a creamy tan color with age. This perennial forms a tall, upright clump of dark green leaves with white midribs. Before blooming, this plant stands around 4 ½’ tall. Be sure to leave this grass standing so it can provide winter interest through the snowy months.

An excellent grass for the garden or landscape, screening or at water's edge. Striking complement to large-leaved plants or combined with berrying shrubs and evergreens for winter effect. Coppery flower plumes, beautiful cut or dried. Clump-forming.

The most profusely blooming Miscanthus. Though the green leaves with silver mid-ribs form beautiful clumps, the most outstanding feature of this new cultivar is its flowers. In late summer, a profusion of full, burgundy plumes sweep the sky.

Delightful silvery foliage forms petite, graceful clumps. Ideal for smaller gardens, landscapes or at water's edge. Excellent as a dwarf hedge or planted with broad-leaved plants or dwarf evergreens. Silver-white flower plumes are beautiful cut or dried.

An especially refined and elegant ornamental grass. Fine leaf blades are green with clean, paper-thin, white margins that give the plant a silvery cast when viewed from a distance. Many consider ‘Morning Light’ to be one of the finest Miscanthus cultivars

‘Oktoberfest’ is the gold standard in Miscanthus. The wide, deep green leaves with a white midrib form a narrowly upright tower about 4 ½’ tall before blooming.

In late summer or early fall, the foliage develops deep purple and red highlights which complement the showy flowers that emerge a rich shade of shimmering burgundy and copper, then mature into fluffy, creamy tan seed heads.

Compared to older Miscanthus like ‘Gracillimus’, this selection blooms much earlier (making it better for northern climates where the growing season is shorter) and has much improved fall color. It also develops its beautiful fall color earlier in the season.

A warm season grass of exceptionally fine texture. Narrow green foliage creates a rounded, arching habit. In early fall sprays of rosy pink flowers spread over the plant. UNDAUNTED® is notable against previous cultivars for being more cold hardy and having a deeper shade of flower color.

Northern Sea Oats is a clumping grass that is treasured for its showy, drooping flowers and unique bamboo-like foliage. Its tendency to reseed makes it an ideal choice for mass plantings. The seed heads, which turn from green to copper in fall, make interesting cut flowers in both fresh and dried arrangements.

A nicely compact form of Egyptian Papyrus, about half the height of King Tut, but with the same large poms on the ends of the stems. Fun and interesting, without being so overwhelmingly huge. With shorter strems than King Tut, Prince Tut is quite sturdy and less likely to have stems flop.

A water garden friendly-grass that can be planted in the landscape as well.

This plant has graced pool sides, ponds, pots, and tubs for hundreds of years. The green foliage actually consists of three-sided or round culms topped by leaf-like bracts that resemble the ribs of an umbrella.

This fun grass-like plant is sure to grab attention where ever you use it. It is a unique thriller in container recipes. It is the smallest of our Papyrus and can be used in smaller combinations where other versions of the plant are too large. It is an excellent item for landscapes, where it can be used in a variety of applications. It's great when grown in a mass or when incorporated with other plants. It also works well at the edge of ponds or in water gardens.

‘Overdam’ has variegated foliage that starts out with bright creamy-white margins which then fade to white with a pink flush. The upright clump of foliage will remain under 2’ tall. In late spring, strikingly erect, feathery plumes with sand-colored seed heads appear, reaching up to 5’ tall. ‘Overdam’ is an ideal backdrop for low-growing, flowering perennials all through the year.

Considered by many to be one of the most refined of all native prairie grasses, Prairie Dropseed has a soft, fountain-like look about it. The green leaves are very narrow, almost threadlike, and grow to form an 18 inch tall clump. It often turns rich shades of gold or deep orange in the fall and then light copper to creamy tan in winter.

In late summer, soft pinkish brown flowers are produced atop thin, arching stems held high above the foliage. These panicles are filled with distinctly sweet smelling seeds which smell like ground coriander. Though it produces an abundance of seeds, it is not known to seed invasively in the landscape.

This grass is very heat and drought tolerant because it is deep rooted. It is often planted en masse as a groundcover or as a specimen.

A native selection with vertical landscape application comparable to Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’; however GOLDEN SUNSET® stands taller at 5-6’ and flowers much later in the season. Wide leaves form a solid base with long golden seedheads rising above the plant in late summer. Wheat-like seedheads reach 10-12" in length and hold their form, adding winter interest. From the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

Long and curling, spiraling coils of rush-like leaves burst up, out, and sideways from the base of this clumping marsh plant. A true oddity.

Although often grown as a wetland plant, Juncus inflexus is quite drought tolerant once established. Blue Arrows Rush thrives in heat and full sun. It fits perfectly beside a pool, pond, or stream where its reflection captures the mood of an aquatic paradise. Blue Arrows’ soft color and beautiful, upright form make it irresistible in container combos and annual beds. In the wild, Juncus inflexus is found in wet soils along streams, ditches, and on wet, sandy and peaty hillsides. This genus is one of our favorites: Juncus are tough, versatile, and evergreen in most climates ’ they’re versatile plants underused in the trade.

This sedge has bright gold foliage with thin green margins and is taller than most other varieties. It is an excellent choice as a highlight plant for a shade or water garden. ‘Bowles Golden’ is a moisture loving grass that will grow in shallow water.

Another fabulous EverColor® sedge from Irish plantsman, Pat FitzGerald. This series has produced award-winning best sellers, and this C. morrowii cultivar looks to continue that streak. A Gold Medal winner at Plantarium 2018, ‘Everglow’ offers a fantastic color combo. Crisp, green foliage sports creamy white margins in spring and summer. The edges develop an orange tint in fall and winter, which gives it a warm, overall glow. The foliage resembles long-time favorite, C. morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ with a color bonus! It stays in a neat, upright, easily controlled mound and does not run like ‘Ice Dance’.

This sport of ‘Evergold’ has a similar performance to its parent but with a brilliant, solid gold leaf color. Long, thin arching leaf blades are chartreuse green toward the crown, but turn golden yellow as they are exposed to UV light. Short tan inflorescence appears just above the foliage.

Like ‘Evergold’, this low-growing evergreen sedge can be used in rock gardens or as spillers in containers. For best golden color, plant in a location with morning sun. In deep shade, foliage remains chartreuse. Plant in moist soils. From Pat Fitzgerald.

Finely textured ornamental grass has an upright, V-shaped habit and adds texture, form and motion to plantings. Red-bronze color looks great mixed with other grasses and plants in containers and beds. It does best in a sunny location. Keep soil on the moist side.

One of the most popular variegated sedges, this selection has creamy-yellow leaves with deep green margins. They cascade softly to the ground in a fountain-like manner. Unlike many other sedges, this one prefers dry to average soil moisture.

This carex makes a bold statement in the shade garden. The leaves are dark green with bright white variegated edges. Small, cream, bottlebrush-like flowers are produced in mid-spring but are rather insignificant to the plant's ornamental value.

‘Dixieland’ provides a strong white element to the landscape which is especially pronounced when planted in front of larger shrubs or evergreens. The silky pink plumes which appear in late summer are very showy.

‘Ogon’, Japanese for golden, exhibits delicate fans of upright butter-yellow leaves that add height, structure, and texture to mixed plantings. Mounded, non-invasive rhizome.

Neither rain nor wind will knock this solid grass down! ‘Apache Rose’ has a dense, upright, columnar habit with grey-green leaves. In the fall, the tips of the leaves are flushed with a hint of rosy-red. While other green-leaved Switch Grass typically have cream or tan inflorescences, ‘Apache Rose’ has unique rose-colored flower panicles—a welcome color in the fall garden.

Notably wide for a Panicum, ‘Niagara Falls’ is excellent for filling space in the landscape. This native ornamental grass appears like a Miscanthus in the landscape with arching foliage, but adds the powder blue color characteristic of Switch Grass. In fall, sprays of cream seed heads pack the top of the plant. Compared with the other Panicum of the PRAIRIE WINDS® collection, ‘Niagara Falls’ is the broadest of the group, but halfway in height between ‘Apache Rose’ and ‘Totem Pole’.

Absolutely ideal for growing in decorative containers, this hardy Red Switch Grass is a perennial substitute for Pennisetum ‘Rubrum’. It forms a compact, vase-shaped clump of blue-green foliage which turns wine red in early summer.