Ornamental grasses are a great way to extend the garden year. Their color, texture and movement are wonderful additions to our landscapes. Many grasses come into their full beauty by early fall and can be left standing throughout the winter.
Some of the best ornamental grasses are Midwestern natives. An increasing number of tidy and colorful native species are becoming more available. Mary Meyer (professor and Univ. of MN extension horticulturist) says these are not hybrids but rather variations that have come about naturally.
Here are a few to get you started:
Little bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium): An extremely drought-tolerant grass, 3 to 3 1/2-feet tall with fine foliage that turns purple-blue in late summer. 'Blue Heaven' and 'Prairie Blues' have a rich burgundy fall color.
Switch grass
(Panicum virgatum): Adaptable to a wide variety of soil types. They can range from 3 to 7 feet with seed heads that turn from red to gold. Both 'Northwind' and 'Heavy Metal' are tall and upright and grow to around 5 feet tall. 'Shenandoah', 'Ruby Ribbons' and 'Hot Rod' all offer beautiful burgundy/red color and grow to around 4 feet.
Prairie dropseed
(Sporobolus heterolepis): A draping grass that grows 24 to 36 inches high and wide with a mound of fine-textured foliage that turns golden-orange in fall.
Tufted hairgrass
(Deschampsia cespitosa): This is one of the few grasses that can handle part shade. Its foliage grows 16 to 18 inches high but the seed heads may reach up to 4 feet.
Autumn moor grass
(Sesleria autumnalis): Adaptable to a wide range of soils and can also handle part shade. It has clump-forming tufts with varying shades of yellowish-green, green, and blue. This lovely grass will grow up to 12 inches tall with narrow flower spikes that reach up to 18 inches tall.
By Beth Philbrick, Sargent's North Perennial Manager
