Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses add an interesting appeal to garden beds. They add contrasting color, unusual form, motion with wind, easy to maintain, and winter structure. Some have stiff blades, some are airy, some have unique seed heads, and most can be dried for flower arrangements.

There are two types of ornamental grasses, distinguished by how they grow. One is clumping or bunching, the other is spreading or runner.

The clumping type stays circular and in a neat habit, whereas the spreading type does just that. The type you chose depends on the amount of space you have, if you want it contained, and what appeal do you want to have (a focal point in the back of a bed, a sea of motion, or a filler plant for contrast).

Some can be perennial; others are annual, depending on your growing zone. Grasses don’t need a lot of care: water the young ones well until they are established, then only occasionally. In the early spring, cut back the fescues to half their height,  the feather reed grass needs to be cut back to 8-10”, and the blue oat grass needs to be raked with your  hands to remove old blades

Some of the more common ornamental grasses for zone 3 are listed below with their botanical name and general size.

Annual clumping

Pampas Grass (Coraderia selloana)                Height: 8-12’ Width: n/a (sharp leaves)

Wind Dancer (Eragrotis)                                Height: 2-3’    Width: 2-3’

Fountain Grass, Ornamental Millet (Pennisetum)  Height: 30-36” Width: 24”

Mexican Feather Grass (Stipa)                        Height: 1-1.5’  Width: 2’

Perennial clumping grasses

Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis)              Height: 5’    Width: 30”

Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia)                  Height: 3’     Width: 2’

Fescue (Festuca)                                             Height: 1’     Width: 1’

Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon)                     Height: 3’     Width: 30”

Maiden Grass (Miscanthus)                            Height:  4-5’ Width: 3-4’

Moor Grass (Molinia)                          Height: 2’      Width: 2’

Switch Grass (Panicum)                                 Height:  3’     Width: 2’

Perennial spreading grasses

Ribbon Grass (Phalaris)                                 Height: 3’     Width: invasive

Blue Lyme Grass (Elymus)                             Height: 2-3’ Width: invasive

Skinners Gold (Bromus)                                 Height:         Width: invasive

Bulbous Oat Grass (Arrhenatherum) (this spreads slowly) Height: 1.5’   Width: 1.5’ plus

Please be aware of where you plant the invasive varieties. 

Photo by: www.bobvila.com