“For the most part, we live in an uncomfortable equilibrium with bacteria and viruses, both those inside of us and those outside, in the natural world. But every now and then, the war reignites. An old pathogen, long dormant, returns. A new mutation emerges. Those events are the epidemics and pandemics we confront. They are the battles we fight.” A.G. Riddle. 

As states begin to open up and relax/release their “shelter-in-place” mandates, continue to respect others by practicing social distancing, wearing face mask and gloves, washing your hands, and showing some kindness. As if this virus wasn’t enough, along comes the tornadoes creating havoc throughout our communities. And there’s going to be a lot of cleanup to be done throughout your landscapes and lawns.

So, let’s take a journey into those other grasses! Traditionally, when grasses became the topic, the discussion focused on lawns, turf, and weeds. However, in the modern landscape, the grass topic is vastly expanded into landscape bed areas. Thus, ornamental grasses provide a variety of seasonal exhibitions throughout the year. From their vivid vegetative qualities and attractive seedhead displays during the growing season to their eye-catching dormant stage in the winter months, they offer unique characteristics and value through color and form in curb appeal.

Native ornamental grasses include the following: Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is an awesome, tough prairie native which exhibits gray-green leaf blades that turn strong shades of purple, red, and orange in the fall season. Reaching upwards to three feet tall, it prefers full sun and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is the beautiful blue color in summer and its effective fall coloration.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a favorite grass to many horticulturalists with its airy plumes in the late summer and fall, its blue-gray foliage during the season, and its brilliant shades of gold or red in the fall. Reaching upwards to a height of five feet, it prefers full sun or part shade and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is its beautiful fall color, shade tolerance, and wildlife goodness. Dallas Blues is an excellent cultivar.

Fiber Opticgrass (Isolepis cernua) is an unusual tender perennial which is often grown as an annual in colder climates. It brings a fine texture and a low, mounding habit on target for container gardens to our landscapes.  Reaching a height of 6-inches, it prefers full sun or part shade and moist soils. The value of this grass is its unusual appearance and small space friendliness.

Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is a fast-growing species with interesting seedheads that hang from the stems like wind chimes. Reaching a height of three feet, it prefers full sun or part shade and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is its speed of growth (plant with care) and attractive fall seedheads.

Those ornamental grasses that are introduced and not native but offer sustainability characteristics include: Feather Reedgrass (Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’) is a very popular ornamental grass offering a distinct upright growth habit which maintains its aesthetics throughout the winter season. Reaching a height of six feet, it prefers full sun and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is its toughness and architectural shape. 

Fountaingrass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is an attractive, mounding plant which exhibits beautiful shape and soft, feathery plumes that dance in the wind. Reaching a height of five feet, it prefers full sun and well-drained soils.  The value of this grass is in its graceful, arching shape and attractive plumes

Blue Oatgrass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) is a low maintenance grass with steel-blue color and an amazing mounded habit of growth. Reaching a height of four feet, it prefers full sun and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is its attractive silvery-blue color. 

Purple Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is an extremely tough annual grass with amazing burgundy foliage and rich purple seedheads that look like fluffy cattails. These grasses are very beautiful and attract birds. Reaching a height of five feet, it prefers full sun or part shade and well-drained soils.  The value of this grass is its burgundy foliage and rich purple seedheads.

Japanese Forestgrass (Hakonechloa macra) is a favorite low-growing species offering an excellent mounding growth habit. ‘Aureola’ and ‘All Gold’ are variegated selections exhibiting brightly colored foliage that work well in shady areas. Reaching a height of one foot, it prefers part shade and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is in its color attributes to brighten up shade gardens.

Maidengrass (Miscanthus sinensis) is a very common ornamental grass which is very easy to grow. Its characteristics include narrow, arching foliage (many variegated selections are available) which add color to landscapes and silvery plumes that offer captivating appearances. Reaching upward to 8-feet tall, it prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils. The value of this grass is in its attractive plumes and  elegant arching habit of growth.

Ravennagrass (Saccharum ravennae) is a gigantic, fast-growing perennial which produces tall silvery plumes making an effective impression in the fall landscape. Reaching heights of 12 feet, it prefers full sun and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is in its height and attractive plumes.

Purple Fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Purpureum’) is a gardening favorite exhibiting burgundy-red foliage throughout the season. It is a tender perennial and is frequently used in container gardens. Reaching a height of three feet, it prefers full sun and well-drained soils. The value of this grass is in its rich, deep purple color.

Zebragrass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’) offers a bold color with each leaf blade featuring a series of bright yellow bands. Zebragrass offers strong focalization in the landscape with its color and upright growth habit that does well in a perennial border. Reaching a height of five feet, it prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils. The value of this grass is its strong colors of the foliage.

Purple Moorgrass (Molinia caerulea) is an ornamental grass offering attractive, mounding foliage that turns brilliant gold in the fall. Reaching a height of five feet, it prefers full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soils. The value of this grass is in its bold shape, effective fall color, and shade tolerance.

Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) is an evergreen, ornamental grass with airy plumes in shades of golden, silver, purple, and green with an effective mounding growth habit. Reaching a height of six feet, it prefers full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soils. The value of this grass is its shade and moisture tolerance. 

Enjoy the fruition of your efforts in planting ornamental grasses and remember that environmental stewardship and sustainability should be at the foundation and forefront of all your landscape activities.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24

Eddie Seagle is a Sustainability Verifier, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland), Agronomist and Horticulturalist, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International) LLC, Professor Emeritus and Honorary Alumnus (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College), Distinguished Professor for Teaching and Learning (University System of Georgia) and Short Term Missionary (Heritage Church, Moultrie). Direct inquiries to csi_seagle@yahoo.com.