Transcript Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental Grasses
Steve Chaney
Extension Horticulturist
Tarrant County
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Big Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia lindheimeri
Evergreen ground cover
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Attributes:
– Texas native
deer resistant
xeriscapic
salt tolerant
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Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or Perennial?: perennial
Exposure:
– full sun
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Flower Color: Silver
Blooming Period:
– summer
fall
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Height: 4 feet Width:
Heat Tolerance:
– very high
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Water Requirements: low Additional Comments: Tolerates a lot of salt
spray and salty soil, but not a lot of storm winds.
• Blue Fescue
Festuca ovina 'Glauca' Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Blue green tufted grass: starburst effect from terminal panicles of
slender spikeles.
• Plant Form or Habit: rounded
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color:
• Blooming Period: summer
• Height: 6 - 10"
• Width: 8"
• Foliage Texture: fine
• Big Blue Lily Turf
Liriope muscari Liliaceae
• Dark green, grass-like blades.
• Flowers in spikes.
• Plant Form or Habit: spreading curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: groundcover beds & borders
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: medium low
• Flower Color: white, lavender
• Blooming Period: spring
• Height: 12"
• Width: spreading
• Foliage Texture: fine
• Heat Tolerance: medium
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments: Good in any soil but does best in light
shade; cut off old leaves in spring to encourage new foliage.
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Black Mondo Grass
Oplismenus planiscapus 'Arabicus' Poaceae (Graminae)
Ornamental grass that had very dark foliage
in low growing clumps.
Plant Form or Habit: rounded
Plant Type: perennial
Plant Use: groundcover
Propagation: division
Light Requirement: high
Flower Color: Purple
Blooming Period: summer fall
Height: 8-10"
Width: same
Foliage Texture: medium
Heat Tolerance: medium
Water Requirements: medium
Additional Comments: Dark foliage looks best in full sun. Plant is not as
dependably hardy as some other closely related materials.
• Buffalograss
Buchloe dactyloides Poaceae (Graminae)
• Fine textured blue-green foliage. Plants are dioecious,
• seed borne in burrs.
• Plant Form or Habit: spreading
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: groundcover
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: beige
• Blooming Period: summer
• Height: 8" Width: spreading Foliage Texture: fine Heat
Tolerance: very high high Water Requirements: low Additional
Comments: Rapid growth but under high fertility and irrigation
cannot compete with bermuda grass; good for home lawns; new
selections green-up earlier and have less summer browning; winter
color is an attractive gold color.
• Feather Grass
Stipa tenuissima
• Filimentous wiry leaves: loose plume like inflorescences.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright spreading curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: beds & borders
ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high medium
• Flower Color: silvery
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 12 - 24"
• Width: spreading
• Foliage Texture: fine
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: Short lived on irrigated sites; provides
movement in the landscape; can be invasive; subject to both
drought and cold dormancy.
• Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Stricta' Poaceae
• Ornamental grass with finely pointed blades;
• leaves are rough to the touch.
• Flowers are in erect panicles.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: cutflowers ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: Beige
• Blooming Period: spring summer
• Height: 3-5 ft Width: spreads Foliage Texture: coarse Heat
Tolerance: high Water Requirements: medium low Additional
Comments: Grows well in most soils including heavy soils.
Performs in both wet and well drained soils.
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Fountain Grass
Pennisetum setaceum Poaceae (Gramineae)
Linear, mild-green foliage.
Bottle-brush-like flowers
composed of spikelets.
Plant Form or Habit: upright
Plant Type: annual
Plant Use: ornamental grasses
Propagation: division
Light Requirement: medium
Flower Color: beige
Blooming Period: summer fall
Height: 4' Width: 2'
Foliage Texture: medium
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Generally trouble free.
No serious pest problems. Can become invasive.
• Giant Reed
Arundo donax Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Large, woody stems with 3 - 4" long blue green leaves; showy many
branched panicles.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: seed division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: beige, cream
• Blooming Period: fall
• Height: 12 - 16' feet Width: spreading
• Foliage Texture: coarse
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: Can be invasive; bamboo-like appearance;
'Versicolor' is a striped leaf variety.
• Japanese Blood Grass
Imperata cylindrica Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Bright red grass-like foliage in early spring to late fall.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: medium
• Flower Color:
• Blooming Period:
• Height: 18 - 24 "
• Width: spreading
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: medium
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments:
• Much misidentification of desirable cultivars.
• Not dependably hardy in zone 7.
• Variegated Japanese Sedge
Carex morrowii Cyperaceae
• Clustered, flat, thick leaves with golden stripes down center.
• Plant Form or Habit: curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: groundcover ornamental grasses Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: low
• Flower Color: not important
• Blooming Period:
• Height: 12 - 18 inches
• Width: 12 inches
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: medium
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments: Needs well-drained soils.
• Japanese Silver Grass, Eulalia
Miscanthus sinensis Poaceae (Graminae)
• Ornamental grass that forms a large clump of 3-4' long leaves that
are sharply serrate; Terminal panicles form above the foliage.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: Beige
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 4-5' Width: equal
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: very high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments:
• Most soils are suitable.
• Full sun maintains the best plant form.
• Fairly low maintenance.
• Lemon Grass
Cymbopogon citratus Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Clumping grass of long leaves with scabrous margins; loose very
compound panicles; rarely flowers; perennial grown as annual.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright curved
• Plant Type: annual
• Plant Use: container plantings
herbs
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color:
• Blooming Period:
• Height: 3 - 6' Width: 2 - 3'
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: Used in oriential cooking;
• sheathing leaf bases look bulbous;
• source of lemongrass oil.
• Lyme Grass or Blue Wild Rye
Elymus glaucus Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Bluish-colored grass-like foliage in stiff clumpts.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: groundcover
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: beige
• Blooming Period: summer
• Height: 2 - 3 feet Width: 18 inches
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: Used for naturalistic plantings.
• Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Large grasses with clumps of narrow foilage.
• Leaves turn brown in fall. Silver midribs.
• Fan-shaped flowers on 1-8 ft pannicles.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: white
• Blooming Period: fall
• Height: 5 - 7 feet
• Width: 2 - 4 feet
• Foliage Texture: fine
• Heat Tolerance: medium
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments: Grows best in warm but not humid weather.
Use as background, specimen, or hedge grasses.
• Mondo Grass,
• Monkey Grass
Ophiopogon japonicus Liliaceae
• Foliage consists of dense clumps of grass-like leaves; flower are in
spikes.
• Plant Form or Habit: spreading curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: groundcover
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: medium low
• Flower Color: blue
• Blooming Period: summer
• Height: 10-12" Width: 6-8'
• Foliage Texture: fine
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: No serious disease problems but does
experience damage from snails and slugs; best if protected from hot
aftenoon sun; a dwf. cultivar is available that provides a tight neat
cover and works very well in between stepping stones/
• Northern Sea Oats
Chasmanthium latifolium Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Flat, thin, glabrous leaves with rough margins;
• flowers in drooping 5-10 inch long panicles.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: medium low
• Flower Color: dark green
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 2-3 ft
• Width: spreading
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: Valued for use in dried arrangements;
• self sows; winter foliage is an attractive
• Bulbous Oatgrass
Arrhenatherum elatis bulbosum Gramineae
• Semi-deciduous; variegated grasslike foliage in small clumps.
• Plant Form or Habit: spreading
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: groundcover
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: medium
• Flower Color: not important
• Blooming Period:
• Height: 12-18" Width: same
• Foliage Texture: fine
• Heat Tolerance: medium
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments: Cold tolerant; propogate by division of
bulbs.
• Oriental Fountain Grass
Pennisetum orientle Poaceae ( Graminaeae)
• 2-3' long green leaves; inflorescences have a cottony appearance.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high medium
• Flower Color: pink
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 2 - 3'
• Width: 2 - 3'
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments: Very attractive flowers; good for the
southern garden.
• Pampas Grass
Cortaderia selloana Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Tufted grass with leaves in large clumps; feathery panicles which
are attractive.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: Beige, pink
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 5 - 12' Width: 4-6'
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: very high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: Pest and disease free; too large for most
gardens; adaptable to many different conditions; heat and drought
tolerant; foliage is a maintenance liability due to the sharp edges.
• Perennial Fountain grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides Poaceae (Graminaceae)
• Ornamental plants with a nice mounding habit. Bottle brush spikes
are attractive.
• Plant Form or Habit: curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: Beige
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 2-4 ' Width: Equal
• Foliage Texture: fine
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments: Not dependably hardy in northern areas.
Nice for cut arrangements but shatter when dry.
• Purple Fountain Grass
Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Annual grass with dark purple foliage and inflorescenes.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright curved
• Plant Type: annual
• Plant Use:
• beds & borders ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high medium
• Flower Color: purple
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 3-4' Width: 3 - 4'
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments: Grow as hedge,
• specimen or back of border plant;
• rapid growth allows this annual to be useful in the landscape.
• Ravenna Grass
Erianthus ravennae Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Stiff, narrow, light green foliage 3' in length. Showy panicles held
high above the foliage.
• Plant Form or Habit: curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: beige
• Blooming Period: summer fall
• Height: 7 - 14 ' Width: 5'
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments:
• Use as a tall accent plant or screen;
• needs a well drained soil.
• Ribbon Grass
Phalaris arundinaceae var. picta Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Foliage is grass-like and roots at nodes; leaves are pale green with
cream variegation; spike flowers.
• Plant Form or Habit: spreading
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: groundcover
ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high medium
• Flower Color: striped pink and white
• Blooming Period: summer
• Height: 2 - 3' Width: spreading
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: medium
• Additional Comments: Good for erosion control;
• mowing late summer will promote new attractive growth.
• Zebra Grass
Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' Poaceae (Gramineae)
• 2-3 ft long leaves, 1 inch wide with yellow horizontal strips. Flowers
are feathery, showy, and on panicles.
• Plant Form or Habit: upright curved
• Plant Type: perennial
• Plant Use: ornamental grasses
• Propagation: division
• Light Requirement: high
• Flower Color: beige, pink
• Blooming Period: fall
• Height: 6 - 8 feet Width: spreads
• Foliage Texture: medium
• Heat Tolerance: high
• Water Requirements: low
• Additional Comments:
• May be invasive so use underground barrier material;
• useful as a screen.
• Seep Muhly
• Muhlenbergia reverchonii
• Found on seasonally moist
erosion benches of harder
limestone in limestone hills of the
Fort Worth Prairie down into the
Hill Country. Hardy to Zone 6,
drought-tolerant, blooms in the
fall with a straw and mauve, finetextured head which fades to
straw colored in the winter.
Neater and more formal in
appearance than Gulf or
Hairyawn Muhly, but equally
delicate. height to 2 feet, bunch
form, warm-season plant for full
sun.
• Little Bluestem
• Schizachyrium scoparium var.
frequens
• A warm-season bunchgrass,
often (not always) blue-tinted in
summer and cinnamon (not
always) in winter. Prefers welldrained, sunny soils and no
irrigation after establishment. Our
blue product selected for silverblue summer color and enduring
cinnamon winter color for a
strong, wind-loving winter
presence. Hardy to zone 4, height
2.5-6 feet, depending on culture.
Beware of selections originating
on acid soils if to be planted on
alkaline soils, they suffer!
• Weeping Lovegrass
• Eragrostis curvula
• The cultivar 'Ermello' has been
certified by the SCS (NRCS) for
use over most of Texas, from the
pineywoods to eastern New
Mexico, without irrigation. This
bunchgrass tolerates irrigation
over well-drained soils in full sun
to light shade. Erosion control on
slopes, very rapid spring grow-out
with green, fine-textured, weeping
foliage that streams over rocks
and curbs. Becomes silvery in
winter, but shimmers in wind.
Hardy to zone 4. Gray-green, lacy
panicles produced in late spring to
3 feet, foliage to 1.5 feet.
• Lindheimer Muhly
• Muhlenbergia lindheimeri
• A warm-season
bunchgrass of effusive,
arching, blue-green foliage
to 3 feet tall, topped by a
halo of feathery heads in
fall to 6 feet. Enjoys moist,
heavy clay soils and full
sun to light shade. Needs
occasional irrigation.
Hardy to zone 7.
• Gulf Muhly
• Muhlenbergia filipes
• A warm-season
bunchgrass suited to
full sun and welldrained soils.
Occasional irrigation.
Fine-textured, mauve
heads in fall fade to
sandy in winter, retain
structure. To 2.5 feet,
clip in late winter.
Hardy to zone 7.
Splitbeard Bluestem
Cosmopolitan Miscanthus
• Big Bluestem
• Andropogon gerardii var.
gerardii
• Characterized by large, bird'sfeet seedheads scattered along
the upper half of the stalks,
height 4-9 feet depending on
culture, soil.. Full sun to light
shade, well-drained clays or
sands, best if established and
then not watered. Silver-blue
form has aggressive rhizomes,
turns sandy in winter. Green &
Purple form gains increasing
amounts of purple on stems,
heads and foliage during the
year, climaxes with intense
purple display in fall, bunch
form. Mow in winter, hardy to
Zone 4, warm-season plant.
• Blue Grama
• Bouteloua gracilis
• Provides lush, fine-textured,
drought-tolerant foliage in a
tight bunch (1 foot height)
under dancing "eyebrow"
seedheads (2 feet). Very
graceful among rocks, dry
soils, water only to
establish, mow in winter.
Hardy to Zone 4, warmseason.
• Hooded Windmillgrass
• Chloris cucullata
• A warm-season
bunchgrass suited to full
sun and arid soils.
Tolerates irrigation ONLY
occasionally, or will rot. 3"
windmills on vertical stalks
to 3 feet tall, with bluetinted foliage, fading to
sandy in winter but
retaining structure. Great in
rock gardens. Hardy to
zone 5.
• Purple Threeawn
• Aristida purpurea
• A warm-season bunchgrass
suited to extremely dry,
bony, full-sun locations.
Extremely fine-textured
foliage topped by arching,
purpled heads forming a
vase, to 2.5 feet. Main
season April-May, but new
heads produced until frost.
Best when backlit. After
spring color fades, the
character remains in the
dried seedheads for months
after. Hardy to zone 4.
• Sideoats Grama
• Bouteloua curtipendula
• A warm-season grass,
we market scientific
variety cespitosa (bunch
form). Named for habit of
producing seedhead
branches on only one
side. Ascending heads to
3 feet, very droughttolerant, state grass of
Texas. Unusual
character of plant adds
diversity to xeriscapes.
Hardy to zone 4.
• Broomsedge Bluestem
• Andropogon virginicus
• Excellent orange
winter color. Tight
bunch, green in
summer, full sun, to 4
feet tall; moist, welldrained soil. Warmseason, hardy to Zone
5, mow in winter.
• Bushy Bluestem
• Andropogon glomeratus
• Stout, cinnamon stems to
5 feet for striking winter
color. Green in summer,
warm-season
bunchgrass, likes moist,
well-drained soils near
water or irrigated. Full
sun, hardy to Zone 5,
mow in winter.
• Eastern Gamagrass
• Trypsacum dactyloides
• A warm-season bunchgrass with
short rhizomes resembling
caterpillars. Deep, thick roots
suited to heavy, moist clays.
Excellent foliage production plus
roots gives control against
washout in waterways. Dwarf
form gets to 5 feet, usually
smaller. Full form gets to 7 feet.
Hardy to Zone 5, foliage
resembles a fountain, "winter
cinnamon" form is cinnamon on
foliage in winter. Full to part-sun.
• 'Adagio' Miscanthus
sinensis
• A short cultivar,
bunchgrass, to 3 feet,
with full, cascading,
silvery foliage topped by
white heads, a
standout. Full sun, welldrained but moist soil,
continues character in
winter after foliage
fades to sandy color.
Hardy to zone 6, more
showy than 'Yaku Jima'
with broader leaves and
more robust presence.
• 'Morning Light'
Miscanthus sinensis
• A short bunchgrass
with ascending, narrow
foliage with linear
variegation on both
edges giving a ghostly
effect. Red heads
totalling 3 feet, forming
a graceful, ghostly
mound in maturity. Full
sun to part shade, welldrained but moist soil,
hardy to zone 5.
• 'Undine'
Miscanthus
sinensis
• To 6 feet, a
mounding
bunchgrass
with silvery
foliage topped
by striking
white heads.
Full sun, moist
but well-drained
soil, hardy to
zone 5.
• Pennisetum
alopecuroides 'Little
Bunny‘
• Very short bunchgrass,
to 1 foot, with vivid
green foliage topped by
white heads resembling
rabbits' feet. Slow to
grow out, needs
irrigation on welldrained soils in full sun,
hardy to zone 6.
• Pennisetum alopecuroides
'Moudry‘
• A short bunchgrass with
luxuriant, heavy, green
foliage topped by vividly
purple bottlebrush heads in
late summer. Briefly turns
cinnamon in late fall, then
falls apart during winter.
Hardy to zone 6, irrigate on
well-drained soils in full
sun, will tolerate
overwatering if soils welldrained.
• Willmann's Lovegrass
• Eragrostis superba
• A drought-tolerant
bunchgrass needing
little irrigation, prefers
well-drained soils in
full sun and neglect.
Medium-coarse
foliage to 2 feet
topped by upright,
bangled heads in
great profusion.
Hardy to zone 6.
• Silver Plumegrass
• Saccharum
alopecuroideum
• A warm-season
bunchgrass notable for
extreme height (to 12
feet or more) in wet
soils, topped in fall by
silver-purple heads.
Excellent dried,
resembling a feather
duster. Becomes a
bronze column in winter,
as a winter focal point or
accent. Full sun, hardy
to zone 7.
Little Bluestem
• Hairyawn Muhly
• Muhlenbergia capillaris
• A warm-season
bunchgrass suited to full
sun and well-drained
soils. Occasional
irrigation. Fine-textured,
mauve heads in fall fade
to sandy in winter, retain
structure. Same
appearance as Gulf
Muhly, only 6" to 1 foot
taller. To 2.5 feet, clip in
late winter. Zone 6-7.
• Indiangrass
• Sorghastrum nutans
• A warm-season,
rhizomatous species
suited to full sun and welldrained soils. Occasional
irrigation OK. Foliage
varies from drooping and
green to stiffly upright and
blue, yellow tassels in fall
to 5-8 feet. Fades to sandy
in winter, mow then. Hardy
to zone 4. Control
rhizomes with bottomless
5-10-gallon pot.
• Southwestern
Bristlegrass
• Setaria scheelei
• A warm-season
bunchgrass noted for
bristly, pyramidshaped heads to 3 feet
tall. An excellent seed
source for wildlife, fullsun to part-shade, dry
soils to occasional
irrigation. Excellent
dried ornamental.
Hardy to zone 5.
• Texas Bluegrass
• Poa arachnifera
• A cool-season, rhizomatous
grass noted for very early
seedheads waving gently on
delicate stalks to 2 feet tall
and appearing wrapped in
spiderwebs. Full sun to partshade, well-drained soils,
tolerates irrigation. Excellent
in perennial beds, finished
blooming as early-blooming
perennials bolt, does not
choke them. May suppress
crabgrass germination.
Hardy to zone 4.
Karl Foerster
Ornamental Grasses
• These are but a few of the ornamental
grasses that do well in our area, don’t
require much care and add so much back
to a landscape.
• Questions?