Design

Golden Sunset® Yellow Prairie Grass Is a Great Native Substitute for Invasive Pampas Grass

Fine Gardening – Issue 214
alternative to pampas grass
Photo: courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

Dazzled by the big, bold inflorescences of pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana and cvs., Zones 5–11) but not the invasiveness? Check out Golden Sunset® yellow prairie grass. This native, selected by the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, will knock your socks off with its large, golden, featherlike plumes that appear in late summer and remain attractive through winter. Unlike other yellow prairie grasses, this sturdy, upright cultivar is no floppy pushover. It is an excellent choice for screening and creating dramatic sweeps of interest in the landscape.

Golden Sunset® yellow prairie grass

Sorghastrum nutans ‘MNYG318153’

Zones: 3–9

Size: 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; dry to moderately moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Eastern and central North America

Sources

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