| Common name |
Botanical name |
Height |
Description |
USDA Zone |
Light |
| Foxtail Grass |
Alopecurus pratensis 'Aureovariegatus' |
1' |
green w/golden stripe foliage |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Big bluestem |
Andropogon gerardii |
4'-6' |
silvery green to blue, turning to copper in fall |
4-10 |
Sun |
| Mediterranean Grass |
Arundo donax 'Versicolor' |
5-7' |
white stripes on green foliage |
6-10 |
Sun |
| Quaking Grass |
Briza media |
1 1/2-2' |
purple flowers |
5-8 |
Sun-p/s |
| Feather Reed Grass |
Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' |
5-7' |
upright purple flowers |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Feather Reed Grass |
Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Overdam' |
3' |
green foliage, edged in white |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Fall Reed Grass |
Calamagrostis brachytricha |
2-3' |
pink flowers in late summer |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Curly Top Sedge |
Carex buchananii |
1-2' |
bronze red foliage |
6-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Bronze Sedge |
Carex comans 'Bronze Form' |
1-2' |
bronze/chocolate foliage |
7-9 |
Sun-sh |
| Lime-green Sedge |
Carex comans 'Frosted Curls' |
1' |
silvery green with curly ends |
7-9 |
Sun-sh |
| Gold Fountain Grass
| Carex dolichostachya 'Kaga Nishiki' |
1-2' |
green & gold foliage |
6-9 |
Sun-sh |
| Blue Sedge |
Carex flacca |
6-18" |
blue foliage, great groundcover |
4-9 |
Sun-sh |
| Yellow Sedge |
Carex flava |
1.5-2" |
yellow striped foliage |
4-8 |
P/s-sh |
| Japanese Sedge Grass |
Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' |
1' |
vigorous grower |
5-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Palm Sedge |
Carex muskingumensis |
2-3' |
interesting whorling habit |
4-9 |
P/s-sh |
| Orange-green Sedge |
Carex testacea |
1-2' |
orange foliage |
7-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Spangle grass |
Chasmanthium latifolium |
3' |
unique flat seed heads |
5-9 |
P/s-sh |
| Pampas Grass |
Cortaderia selloana |
8-15' |
large showy white flowers |
7-10 |
Sun |
| Pink Pampas Grass |
Cortaderia selloana 'Rosea' |
8-15' |
pink flowers |
7-10 |
Sun |
| Umbrella Grass |
Cyperus Alternafolius |
3-4' |
Thrives in wet areas |
9-10 |
Sun-p/s |
| Tufted Hair Grass |
Deschampsia cespitosa 'Bronzeschleier' |
2-3' |
purple bronze flower |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Tufted Hair Grass |
Deschampsia cespitosa 'Northern Lights' |
2' |
creamy white w/pink variegation |
5-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Tufted Hair Grass |
Deschampsia cespitosa 'Tautrager' |
2-3' |
light green flowers |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Lyme Grass
| Elymus magellanicus |
1.5' |
bright metallic blue foliage |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Blue Fescue
| Festuca glauca 'Boulder Blue' |
8" |
very blue |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Silver Blue Fescue
| Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' |
8" |
powder blue foliage |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Golden Toupee |
Festuca glauca 'Golden Toupee' |
10" |
golden foliage |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Golden Japanese Forest Grass |
Hakonechloa macra |
2' |
green bamboo like foliage |
4-9 |
P/s |
| Variegated Japanese Forest Grass |
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' |
1 1/2' |
variegated bamboo like foliage |
5-9 |
Sh |
| Blue Oat Grass |
Helictotrichon sempervirens |
2-3' |
silver blue foliage |
4-8 |
Sun |
| Sweetgrass |
Hierochloe odorata |
1-2' |
aromatic |
2-6 |
Sun-p/s |
| Corkscrew Rush |
Juncus effusus 'Spiralis' |
2-3' |
wild, corkscrewing foliage |
4-9 |
Sun |
| Dune Grass |
Leymus racemosus 'Glaucus' |
2-3' |
metallic blue gray foliage |
4-9 |
Sun |
| Woodrush |
Luzula nivea |
1-2' |
white flowers in spring |
5-9 |
P/s-sh |
| Woodrush |
Luzula sylvatica |
1-2' |
bronze red flowers |
4-9 |
P/s-sh |
| Giant Silver Grass |
Miscanthus 'Giganteus' (floridulus) |
8-12' |
tall, upright, cool! |
4-9 |
Sun |
| Flame Grass |
Miscanthus purpurascens |
4-5' |
green, then red in fall |
4-9 |
Sun |
| Maiden Grass |
Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus' |
5-6' |
early red flowers |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Silver Feather |
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder' |
6-9' |
early white flowers |
4-9 |
Sun |
| Zebra Grass |
Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' |
5-7' |
gold-banded leaves |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Variegated Miscanthus |
Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' |
5-7' |
tall variegated grass |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Moon Grass |
Molinia arundinacea 'Skyracer' |
7-8' |
showy translucent flowers |
4-8 |
Sun |
| Red Moor grass |
Molinia caerulea 'Moorflamme' |
2' |
orange red fall foliage |
5-8 |
Sun-p/s |
| Moor grass |
Molinia caerulea 'Strahlenquelle' |
2' |
compact foliage, fountain flowers |
5-8 |
Sun-p/s |
| Black Mondo Grass |
Ophiopogon planiscapus |
6-12" |
Light violet colored flowers |
5-9 |
p/s-shade |
| Switch Grass |
Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' |
5' |
huge flowers, wide blue foliage |
5-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Red Switch Grass |
Panicum virgatum 'Rotstrahlbusch' |
3-4' |
good red foliage |
4-9 |
Sun-p/s |
| Cassian fountain grass |
Pennisetum alopecuroides |
3-4' |
showy summer flowers |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Dwarf fountain grass |
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' |
1.5' |
Pinkish white flowers |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Little Bunny |
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' |
12" |
prolific white flowers |
6-10 |
Sun |
| Fountain grass |
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry' |
2-3' |
darker purple flowers |
6-9 |
Sun |
| Chinese Fountain |
Pennisetum orientale |
1-2' |
long lasting pink flowers |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Purple fountain grass |
Pennisetum setaceum |
2' |
12" pink inflorescence |
10 |
Sun |
| Ribbon grass |
Phalaris arundinacea 'Feesey' |
3' |
reddish stem with pink highlights |
4-9 |
Sun-sh |
| Reedy Grass |
Phalaris arundinacea 'Luteopicta' |
3' |
green & gold striped foliage |
4-9 |
Sun-sh |
| Ravenna Grass |
Saccharum ravennae |
9-12' |
dark purple stems |
6-9 |
Sun |
| Little bluestem grass |
Schizachyrium scoparium |
2-4' |
outstanding fall foliage |
3-8 |
Sun |
| Feather Grass |
Stipa capillata |
2-3' |
showy silvery flowers |
6-9 |
Sun |
| Golden Oats |
Stipa gigantea |
3-4' |
7' flower spike |
5-9 |
Sun |
| Pony tails |
Stipa tenuissima |
1 1/2' |
fine leaves & prolific flowers |
7-10 |
Sun |
