Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses offer a wide range of textures, heights, and seasonal interest, making them a versatile addition to any landscape. While all the different varieties available can feel overwhelming, most grasses share similar benefits, including low maintenance, adaptability, and strong performance in a range of conditions. Many provide movement, structure, and winter interest long after other plants have faded. This guide highlights a selection of ornamental grasses, organized by botanical name, along with key characteristics to help with plant selection and placement.

Botanical Name	Common Name	Height	Exposure	Color
Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’	Ogon Sweet Flag	12”	Sun – Part Sun	N/A
Andropogon gerardii	Big Bluestem	4-6’	Sun	Purple
Andropogon g. ‘Blackhawks’	Blackhawks Big Bluestem	6”	Sun	Brown
Andropogon g. ‘Red October’	Red October Big Bluestem	4-6′	Sun	Red
Bouteloua gracilis ‘Honeycomb’	Blue Grama Honeycomb	2’	Sun	Tan
Calamagrostis acutiflora	Karl Foerster Feather Reed	4’	Sun	Rose
Calamagrostis a. ‘Avalanche’	Avalanche Feather Reed	3’	Sun	Rose
Calamagrostis a. ‘Overdam’	Overdam Feather Reed	3’	Sun – Part Sun	Tan
Calamagrostis brachytricha	Fall Blooming Feather Reed	3’	Sun – Part Sun	Coral
Carex bromoides	Brome – Like Sedge	2’	Part Shade – Shade	Tan
Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’	Evergold Japanese Sedge	8”	Part Shade – Shade	Cream
Carex flacca	Blue Sedge	8”	Part Shade – Shade	N/A
Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’	Ice Dance Sedge	12”	Part Shade – Shade	N/A
Carex morrowii ‘Little Midge’	Little Midge Palm Sedge	10’	Part Shade – Shade	N/A
Carex morrowii ‘Silver Sceptre’	Silver Sceptre Sedge	8-12″	Part Shade – Shade	N/A
Carex muskingumensis	Palm Sedge	16”	Part Shade – Shade	N/A
Carex pensylvanica	Pennsylvania Sedge	6-12″	Part Shade – Shade	White
Carex radiata	Eastern Star Sedge	8-12″	Part Shade – Shade	White
Chasmanthium latifolium	Northern Sea Oats	4’	Sun – Part Sun	N/A
Deschampsia caespitosa	Tufted Hair	2’	Sun	Yellow
Deschampsia caespitosa ‘Goldtau’	Goldtau Tufted Hair	2’	Sun	Yellow
Eragrostis spectabilis	Purple Love	10”	Sun	Purple
Festuca ovina ‘Cool as Ice’	Cool as Ice Fescue	12-18″	Sun	N/A
Festuca ovina ‘Elijah Blue’	Dwarf Elijah Blue Fescue	8”	Sun	N/A
Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’	All Gold Japanese Forest	18”	Part Shade	N/A
Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’	Golden Japanese Forest	2’	Part Shade – Shade	N/A
Helictotrichon sempervirens	Sapphire Blue Oat	3’	Sun	N/A
Miscanthus x giganteus	Giant Maiden	8-12′	Sun	Tan
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’	Adagio Maiden	4’	Sun – Part Sun	Pink
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’	Maiden	4’	Sun – Part Sun	Pink
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Graziella’	Graziella Maiden	3’	Sun – Part Sun	Silver
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’	Morning Light Maiden	4’	Sun – Part Sun	Copper
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurescens’	Purple Maiden	4’	Sun	Pink
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberfeder’	Silver Feather	7’	Sun	Silver
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’	Porcupine	5’	Sun	Pink
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’	Variegated Maiden	4’	Sun – Part Sun	Pink
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’	Zebra Maiden	4’	Sun	Copper
Molinia caerulea ‘Moorhexe’	Moorhexe	18”	Sun – Part Sun	Purple
Molinia caerulea ‘Variegata’	Variegated Moor	12-18″	Sun – Part Sun	Purple
Panicum virgatum	Switch	4’	Sun – Part Sun	Rose
Panicum virgatum ‘Apache Rose’	Apache Rose Switch	4’	Sun	Rose
Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’	Cheyenne Sky Switch	3’	Sun	Purple
Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’	Heavy Metal Blue Switch	4’	Sun – Part Sun	Rose
Panicum virgatum ‘Half Pint’	Half Pint Switch	3’	Sun	Red
Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’	Northwind Switch	4’	Sun – Part Sun	Rose
Panicum virgatum ‘Rotstrahlbusch’	Red Switch	4-5′	Sun	Pink
Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’	Shenandoah Switch	3’	Sun	Pink
Pennisetum alopecuroides	Fountain	3-4′	Sun	Brown
Pennisetum a. ‘Hameln’	Hameln Dwarf Fountain	2’	Sun	White
Pennisetum a. ‘Lemon Squeeze’	Lemon Squeeze Fountain	3’	Sun	Tan
Pennisetum a. ‘Love and Rockets’	Love and Rockets Fountain	2-3′	Sun	Red
Pennisetum a. ‘Piglet’	Piglet Dwarf Fountain	6-12″	Sun	White
Pennisetum a. ‘Red Head’	Red Head Fountain	2.5’	Sun	Red
Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’	Karley Rose Oriental Fountain	2’	Sun	Pink
Schizachyrium scoparium	Little Bluestem	2’	Sun	Purple
Schizachyrium s. ‘Blue Paradise’	Blue Paradise Little Bluestem	3’	Sun	Tan
Schizachyrium s. ‘Standing Ovation’	Standing Ovation Little Bluestem	3’	Sun	Purple
Schizachyrium s. ‘Twilight Zone’	Twilight Zone Little Bluestem	4-4.5’	Sun	Tan
Sesleria autumnalis	Autumn Moor	8”	Sun – Part Sun	Silver
Sesleria ‘Greenlee Hybrid’	Greenlee Hybrid Moor	8-12″	Sun – Part Sun	Silver
Sporobolus heterolepis	Prairie Dropseed	2’	Sun – Part Sun	Orange
Sporobolus h. ‘Gone With The Wind’	Gone with the Wind Dropseed	3-4′	Sun	Pink
Sporobolus h. ‘Tara’	Tara Prairie Dropseed	12”	Sun – Part Sun	Pink

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