GRASSES ORNAMENTAL - Green Select Perennials

Various zones, sun to part shade

Helictotrichon sempervirens Sapphire Blue Oat Grass

Size: 1 Gallon

Bright steel blue leaves tend to widen as they mature. Grow in rock gardens, coastal sites or containers, Zone 3, height 24″, spread 24″.

Andropogon (Big Blue Stem)

Size: 1 Gallon

Lush green leaves and stems, turns reddish-copper in fall, Zone 4, height 3′-8′, spread 24″, Native Prairie. Use for massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

Bouteloua gracilis Blonde Ambition

Size: 1 Gallon

Upright clump of blue-green grass, horizontal yellow seed heads, height, 30-36″, spread 30-36″, NATIVE, Zone 4. Plant Patent #22,048

acutiflora Karl Foerster

Size: 1 Gallon

Showy feather plumes with striking, erect, wheat-colored seed heads, green mounding foliage, Zone 4, June, height 5′, spread 18″-24″. Use for borders, massing or containers. Prefers well-drained soil.

Brachytricha Grass (Koren Feather Reed Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Unlike other varieties this is a warm season grass that blooms later in summer, producing purple plumes, fluffy bottle brush plumes that age to greenish tan, height 48″ spread, 18-24″, Zone 4.

acutiflora Overdam

Size: 1 Gallon

Silver variegated Feather Reed Grass, mounding foliage, Zone 4, June, height 28″-36″, spread 18″-24″. Use for borders, massing and containers. Prefers well-drained soil.

Carex hachijoensis Evergold (Variegated Japanese Sedge)

Size: 1 Gallon

Semi-evergreen, creamy-yellow blades with green margins, height 12″, spread 12″. Use for borders, edging or ground cover. Prefers moist soil in light to full shade.

Carex flacca Blue Zinger( Blue Sedge)

Size: 1 Gallon

Steel-blue, narrow glaucous leaves with a delightful wispy texture, makes a great ground cover. Insignificant flower spikes in June, height 10-12″, spread 24″ use for borders, edging or ground cover. Prefers moist soil to well drained soil. Zone 4, full sun to part shade.

Carex pennsylvania (pennsylvania Sedge)

Size: 1 Gallon

Narrow, low growing foliage that forms a lush carpet, part shade or shade, drought tolerant, slowly spreads. Height 6-12″, spread 12-15″. NATIVE, Zone 4.

Carex vulpinoidea (Fox Sedge)

Size: 1 Gallon

Showy wetland sedge with mounds of yellow-green leaves. Forms beautiful clumps of cascading foliage. Golden -brown seed heads, Zone 4, May-June, height 1-3′, spread 12″, full sun. Native, prefers moist to wet soil.

deschampia c. Northern Lights

Size: 1 Gallon

Brightly variegated tufted foliage in white, cream and pink, spring -fall, height 24″, spread 24″, use for borders or massing. Prefers well drained soil, Zone 4.

Erianthus ravennae (Plume Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Silver white flowers often confused with pampas grass. Lovely autumn color, deer resistant, Aug.-Sept., height 9′-12′, spread 4′-5′. Use for borders, massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil, Zone 5.

Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Stiff blue-gray foliage, height 2′, spread 18″-24″. Use for borders, rock gardens or containers. Prefers well-drained soil, Zone 4.

Festuca (Blue Fescue)

Size: 41/2", 1 Gallon

Thin blades of gracefully arching blue foliage, deer resistant, height 10″ spread 12-15″. Use in borders, edging, or containers. Prefers well drained soil, Zone 4.

Miscanthus (Dwarf Maiden Grass) sinensis Adagio

Size: 1 Gallon

Clump forming narrow silver-grey blades. Fan shaped, pink-tinged plumes bloom in late summer and turn creamy-white in fall. Blades turn burgundy red in fall. Zone 5, height 4′ spread 2-3′, heat tolerant, great for small spaces, borders, and mass plantings.

Miscanthus sinensis Graziella

Size: 1 Gallon

Showy silver-white flowers with slender foliage, Aug., height 5-6′, spread 36″, Zone 4. Use for borders, massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

Miscanthus sinensis Morning Light

Size: 1 Gallon

Fine blades with distinct white stripes that look silvery from a distance. The flowers emerge bronzy-red and turn to a cream color as they age, Sept., height 4′-5′, spread 2′-3′, Zone 5.

Miscanthus sinensis Purpurascens (Flame Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Upright clump where foliage starts out green turning into reddish hue later in summer, magenta colored fans turn into bright silky white flowers, Zone 4, July, height 4′-5′, spread 24″-36″. Use for borders, massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

Miscanthus sinensis Silberfeder (Silver Feather Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Tall, green blades that turn yellow in fall. Shimmering white blooms, Zone 5, Aug., height 8′, spread 36″. Use for borders, massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

Miscanthus sinensis Strictus (Porcupine Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Yellow horizontal bands similar to Zebra Grass but more rigid upright habit, Zone 5, height 6′, spread 36″. Use for specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

Panicum Hot Rod (switch grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Clump forming with wide leaves, green summer foliage with narrow silvery plumes mid- summer, foliage turns bright red-orange in fall, height 36-40″, spread 36, Zone 4.

Plant Patent # 26,074

virgatum Heavy Metal (Heavy Metal)

Size: 1 Gallon

Stiff upright metallic-blue foliage superb form and color, Zone 4, height 3′-5′, spread 24″-36″. Use for massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

virgatum Rotstrahlbusch

Size: 1 Gallon

Green foliage with red tips, turns burgundy-red in fall, red flowers, Zone 3, height 3′-5′, spread 24″-36″. Use for massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

Panicum v. Shenandoah Grass

Size: 1 Gallon

Green foliage in spring turns deep red mid summer, height 2-4′, spread 24-30″, Zone 4. Prefers well-drained soil.

a. Hameln (Dwarf Fountain Grass)

Size: 1 Gal.

More compact, smaller version of the species, Zone 5, Aug., height 24″, spread 18″-24″. Use for borders or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

a. Little Bunny (Miniature Fountain Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Green foliage forms a neat little mound. Flowers are about 2″ long, Zone 5, Aug., height 11″, spread 15″-18″. Use for borders, ground cover or rock gardens. Prefers well-drained soil.

Schizacharium scoparium Little Blue Stem

Size: 4 1/2", 1 Gallon

Shades of green, blue, red, burgundy, bronze & orange in the foliage at various times of the year, Zone 3, Oct., height 2′-3′, spread 18″-24″, Native Prairie. Use for borders or massing. Prefers well-drained soil.

scoparium The Blues

Size: 1 Gallon

Bluer foliage than Little Blue Stem that turns bronze-orange in fall. Light pink flower, Zone 3, July-Aug., height 24″-36″, spread 18″-24″. Use for borders or massing. Prefers well-drained soil.

Sesleria autumnalis (moor grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Clump forming, bright lime green foliage turns golden in fall. Small, frosty-white flowers spikes, height 20″, spread 15-20″, Zone 4. Use for borders, ground cover or massing. Prefers well drained soil.

Sorghastrum nutans (Indian Grass)

Size: 1 Gallon

Green foliage turning red in fall, rust colored flowers, Zone 3, Aug., height 5′, spread 24″, Native Prairie. Use for massing. Prefers well-drained soil.

Sporobolos heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed)

Size: 1 Gallon

Mounds of hair-like foliage provide a lacy contrast to more broad leaved plants. Fantastic fall color, Zone 3, Aug., height 24″, spread 12″-18″, Native Prairie. Use for borders or massing. Prefers well-drained soil.

Hakonechloa (Golden Variegated Hakone Grass) (macra Aureola)

Size: 1 Gallon

Yellow-green variegated foliage, spreading habit. Yellow color intensifies in part sun. Zone 5, deer resistant, height 24″, spread 24″-36″. Use for accent, borders, containers or ground cover. Prefers rich, moist soil in part sun to part shade. TENDER

Chasmanthium Northern Sea Oats latifolium

Size: 1 Gallon

A clump forming, bamboo-like grass with showy drooping flowers that dry well. Flowers are attractive throughout its various stages of maturity. Grows well in shady damp conditions. Use for massing or specimen. July-fall, height 24″-36″, spread 24″, Zone 3. Prefers moist but well-drained soil.

Calamagrostis Eldorado

Size: 1 Gallon

A rare gold variegated form of ‘Karl Foerster’. Mounding foliage of narrow, green leaves with a bright gold midrib. Attractive seed head, June-Oct., height 4′-5′, spread 18″-24″. Plant Patent # 16,486.

Miscanthus ( Encore)

Size: 1 Gallon

Forms a tall, upright clump of dark green blades with white midribs. Blooms Sept.-Oct., producing a flush of coppery tan with age, height 6-6 1/2″, spread 36″, Zone 5. Plant Patent # 29,070.

Miscanthus (Oktoberfest)

Size: 1 Gallon

Wide deep green leaves with a white mid rib develop deep purple and red highlights in late summer to early fall. Early blooming showy flowers emerge in rich shades of burgundy and copper turning tan as they age. Height 6-7′ in bloom, spread 3-4′, Zone 5. Plant Patent # 27,074.

Panicum Northwind

Size: 1 Gallon

Stiff, upright dark green clumping grass, unique flower panicles are held in the middle of the clump rather than arching away from it. Foliage turns a golden yellow in fall, fast grower. Zone 4, height 4-5’, spread 2-3’. Use for massing or specimen. Prefers well-drained soil.

Pennisetum (Burgundy Bunny)

Size: 1 Gallon

A petite sport of ‘Little Bunny’, forms a rounded clump of green foliage that starts turning a reddish hue in summer which turns blazing red by fall and lasts until frost. Creamy flowers, height 12-16″, spread 15-18″. Use for borders, containers or rock gardens. Prefers well-drained soil. Plant Patent #21,917.

Schizachyium (Blue Heaven)

Size: 1 Gallon

Excellent blue grey foliage will turn a mix of burgundy red, pink and orange in the fall. Glossy purple seed panicles become fluffy tan in late summer. A native prairie grass in a reliably upright cultivar, height 3.5-4.5′, spread 3′. Plant Patent # 17,310.