There are countless ornamental grasses to choose from, so narrowing down a list of my favorites is tough. However, the following assortment—categorized by their best season of interest—is a good start. Choosing at least one from each season will ensure that your grass-forward garden always has something spectacular going on.
See more:
Get Four-Season Interest Using Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape
How to Divide Large Overgrown Ornamental Grasses
Let’s Argue About Plants Podcast Episode 147: Great Native Grasses
Spring
Red tussock grass
Chionochloa rubra
Zones: 7–10
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Native Range: New Zealand
Mexican feather grass
Nassella tenuissima
Zones: 7–10
Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, Argentina
Blue oat grass
Helictotrichon sempervirens
Zones: 4–8
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 2½ feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Central and southwestern Europe
‘Campo Azul’ autumn moor grass
Sesleria autumnalis ‘Campo Azul’
Zones: 5–8
Size: 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Hybrid
Summer
‘Little Miss’ miscanthus
Miscanthus sinensis* ‘Little Miss’
Zones: 5–9
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern Asia
‘Heavy Metal’ switchgrass
Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’
Zones: 5–9
Size: 4 to 5 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist soil
Native range: North America
Purple miscanthus
Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’
Zones: 5–9
Size: 4 to 5 feet tall and 2½ to 3 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Hybrid
‘Skyracer’ purple moor grass
Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea ‘Skyracer’
Zones: 5–8
Size: 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist soil
Native range: Europe, Asia, northern Africa
Fall
‘Blondo’ miscanthus
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Blondo’
Zones: 4–9
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern Asia
Seep muhly grass
Muhlenbergia reverchonii
Zones: 5–9
Size: 1½ to 2 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained
Native range: Central Oklahoma to central Texas
‘Fire Dragon’ miscanthus
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Fire Dragon’
Zones: 5–9
Size: 6 to 7 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern Asia
‘Shenandoah’ switchgrass
Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’
Zones: 5–9
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist soil
Native range: North America
Winter
Orange sedge
Carex testacea*
Zones: 6–10
Size: 18 to 24 inches tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: New Zealand
*This is technically not a grass.
Crystal Falls® mondo grass
Ophiopogon jaburan ‘HOCF’
Zones: 6–11
Size: 24 to 30 inches tall and wide
Conditions: Partial to full shade; moist soil
Native range: Japan, Korea
‘Fine China’ sedge
Carex ‘Fine China’
Zones: 5–9
Size: 8 to 12 inches tall and 24 inches wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Hybrid
*This is technically not a grass.
Giant feather grass
Celtica gigantea
Zones: 5–8
Size: 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Iberian Peninsula, northern Africa
*Invasive Alert: Miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis)
This plant is considered invasive in AL, CT, GA, IN, KY, MD, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, SC, TN, and VA.
Please visit invasiveplantatlas.org for more information.
Susan Calhoun is the owner and principal designer of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge, Washington. She is also a FineGardening.com regional reporter for the Pacific Northwest.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Black and Decker 22-inch Cordless Hedge Trimmer
Scotts Cordless Grass-Shear/Shrub-Trimmer Combo
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