45 Ornamental Grasses Native to the United States

Grasses are a unique grouping of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae. Worldwide, they are common and diverse.

Grasses may be annual or perennial and warm-season or cool-season. There is an immense range of sizes, ranging from tiny ground-hugging plants only a few inches tall to giant bamboo that grows to almost 100 feet tall. 

In the United States, grass species inhabit almost every ecosystem. Some native species are spectacularly showy, while others are more subtle. But it’s good to know that no matter where you live, you can find native grasses that will enhance and beautify your landscape.

Here are just a few of the benefits of growing native ornamental grasses: 

• Showy and attractive foliage and flowers that provide year-round interest
• Excellent for erosion control and soil stabilization
• Many are drought-resistant or water-loving and will grow where other plants won’t
• Provide valuable wildlife habitat and attract foraging birds with their seeds.

You must consider a few things when choosing the best ornamental grass for your landscape. Look at the USDA plant hardiness zone map and identify your zone. Make note of your available sunlight, soil type, and soil moisture, and choose well-matched plants for your local growing conditions. Finally, you’ll want to be sure that the plants you choose will have enough space to grow in your landscape arrangement. 

Let’s now dig a little deeper into some specific native ornamental grass species that you can grow at home!

Arizona Fescue

	botanical name Festuca arizonica
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 7

Arizona fescue is a native bunchgrass that originates from the southwestern United States. It is an excellent choice for xeriscape gardening and is quite drought-tolerant once established.  

Arizona fescue makes an attractive addition to a landscape. It grows in a dense, upright clump of thin, blue-green blades. Arizona fescue blooms in late spring or early summer. The flowering stems are tan and reach upwards, straight above the rest of the cluster, topped with thin, stiff seedheads. It is easily grown from seed or divided from larger, established clumps.  

Big Bluestem

	botanical name Andropogon gerardii
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Big bluestem is a tall grass native to the grasslands of central and eastern North America and is a characteristic plant of the native tallgrass prairie ecosystem. It tolerates a wide range of growing conditions. This grass is somewhat slow to mature but has excellent drought tolerance once established.

Big bluestem will spread by underground rhizomes and self-seeding. Over time, it will develop large stands. Big bluestem develops tall, upright flowering stems with red or purplish seed heads in late fall. In ideal growing conditions, these flowering stems can tower above the rest of the plant, growing up to eight feet tall, although typically, they stay closer to six feet tall.

Large stands of big bluestem make an excellent grass for erosion control and provide habitat, cover, and food for birds and other small wildlife species.

Big Bluestem ‘Blackhawks’ 

	botanical name Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

‘Blackhawks’ is a cultivar of the native big bluestem grass. This cultivar shares the same growing conditions as its native species of origin but has showy looks.

‘Blackhawks’ has foliage that starts green but darkens to a dusky purple by fall. The flowering heads also have a stem that changes from green to purple, and the flowering seedheads display a beautiful purplish-red color.

Big Sacaton 

	botanical name Sporobolus wrightii
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 5 – 7 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Big Sacaton, also known as giant Sacaton, is native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. It grows in dry grasslands and scrublands and is wonderfully adapted to dry soils, drought, and full-sun environments.

As a landscaping plant, grow the big Sacaton grass in your rock garden or xeriscape landscape. This grass develops a handsome cluster of vegetation. By late summer and fall, it develops large, bushy seedheads that look like giant, loose bottlebrushes. In warm climates, the foliage of big Sacaton stays evergreen or semi-evergreen for year-round beauty.

Blue Grama

	botanical name Bouteloua gracilis
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 0.75 – 2 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 10

Blue grama grass is native to the southern and western United States and Mexico. It is well adapted to drought and should not be grown in wet or saturated soil. 

In optimal conditions, blue grama will spread freely by self-seeding. It makes an excellent ornamental grass for a rock garden or larger naturalized area. Because this grass stays relatively short, typically not growing more than two feet tall, it is an easy-to-manage landscaping plant. Blue grama forms showy, dense, rounded mounds that bloom in the summer with interesting horizontal flowering seedheads. 

Blue Grama ‘Blonde Ambition’ 

	botanical name Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 0.75 – 2.5 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 10

‘Blonde Ambition’ is a blue grama grass cultivar with a lot of ornamental appeal. This grass is tolerant of many soil textures as long as the soil is well-drained.

It develops dense clusters of fine foliage with showy horizontal seedheads lasting throughout the summer. This is an excellent plant for a xeriscape garden, pocket prairie, or accent to your sunny landscape. 

Blue Wild Rye

	botanical name Elymus glaucus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Blue wild rye, also known as western ryegrass, is a common grass native to the grasslands of central and western North America. It grows in meadows, open forests, thickets, and dry hillsides. For landscaping purposes, it would be a good choice for a larger naturalized area, habitat restoration, or hillside stabilization project.

The grassy blades of blue wild rye are bright green with a slight blue tinge, giving rise to the common name. You can also use it as an accent plant in a pocket prairie or rock garden. Clusters will slowly increase in size, spreading by rhizomes. Large clumps can start to look rather messy and may be cut back to restore a more tidy appearance.

Bottlebrush Grass 

	botanical name Elymus hystrix
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2.5 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Bottlebrush grass is a clump-forming grass native to the central and eastern United States. It grows naturally in grasslands, along roadsides, and in dry, open woodlands. This grass is easy to grow in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil.

Bottlebrush grass is well-named. The flowering seedheads resemble bristly bottlebrushes, and as the seeds drop to the ground, they may self-seed. Bottlebrush grass will spread to create dense stands and makes an excellent plant for growing in erosion-prone areas and on dry hillsides. It’s excellent for attracting birds, who will be interested in the seeds during the autumn months and will come to forage and seek shelter between the clusters.

Broomsedge

	botanical name Andropogon virginicus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

Broomsedge, also known as beard grass, is an interesting grass with small, fluffy tufts of cottony seeds that mature in the fall. It will happily self-seed and spread into dense stands. Use broomsedge in a naturalized area where it can spread freely, or grow it in a container for an interesting and well-contained display.

In its natural habitat, broomsedge is widespread, growing in various grasslands and woodlands with well-drained soil. This plant can grow quickly and spread easily, particularly in disturbed areas.

Bushy Bluestem

	botanical name Andropogon glomeratus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Bushy bluestem is native throughout the southern United States and Mexico. This bushy grass grows best in wet areas and appears naturally in wetlands and moist grasslands. It is not drought tolerant but makes an excellent plant for growing alongside a pond, marsh, or wet seepage area where other compatible plants may be difficult to establish. 

Bushy bluestem typically grows to about four feet tall but can grow up to six feet tall in ideal conditions. It does indeed have very bushy flowering stems that develop in the fall. Atop clusters of dense grassy foliage, the taller flowering stems put on a showy display. Birds will come to forage on the seeds, and this plant is a larval host plant of the common wood-nymph butterfly.

Canada Wild Rye

	botanical name Elymus canadensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 2 – 9

Canada wild rye is widespread throughout most of North America except for the far southeastern United States. This grass grows in various grasslands, open woodlands, along roadsides and fence rows, and in moist ravines.

Canada wild rye can grow to six feet tall and has dramatic, bushy, foxtail-like flowering seedheads that bloom in late spring and early summer. It is a good option for a naturalized grassland or a wildlife-friendly landscape. Birds and small mammals forage on the seeds, and it is the larval host plant for the Zabulon skipper butterfly.

California Fescue

	botanical name Festuca californica
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 7 – 10

California fescue is a beautiful mounded bunchgrass native to the Pacific coast states. It grows naturally in low-elevation woodland edges, streambanks, and dry, open grasslands. While it can grow up to six feet tall with flowering stems, the primary bunching foliage stays fairly compact.

California fescue is an excellent plant for a rock garden or grown as an edging plant where its graceful foliage can be fully seen and appreciated. The leaves are thin and are a lovely silvery blue-green color. Flowering stems appear in the winter and spring months. This plant typically has evergreen foliage for year-round interest in your landscape. 

Carolina Wiregrass

	botanical name Aristida stricta
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 8 – 10

Carolina wiregrass is native to North and South Carolina. It grows naturally in coastal pine forests, especially in longleaf pine ecosystems, and has evolved with a fire-dependent landscape. In this capacity, it has evolved to produce viable seeds only after being burned, so it is unlikely to self-seed in a garden setting. 

As an ornamental grass, Carolina wiregrass is an attractive addition to a warm, dry landscape, particularly if you live within its native range. It likes sandy, acidic, well-drained soil. Carolina wiregrass has somewhat inconspicuous flowers and is best appreciated for its fine, thin, densely rounded clumps of foliage. 

Cherokee Sedge

	botanical name Carex cherokeensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 0.5 – 1 foot
	hardiness zones 6 – 9

The Cherokee sedge is a native sedge (Cyperaceae family) that grows in moist areas in the southeastern United States. It performs well in a location with either full sun or partial shade and moist soil.  

Some sedges can spread quickly and become invasive, but the Cherokee sedge is better behaved. Clumps will increase in size, spreading slowly outwards by creeping rhizomes. Since it stays fairly small and compact, this makes a good border or edge plant or an excellent addition to a moist naturalized area such as a rain garden or along a wetland or pond edge. Its somewhat bristly-looking flowers bloom in the spring and summer months.

Cordgrass

	botanical name Spartina pectinata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4 – 7 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Cordgrass, also known as prairie cord grass, is widespread and native to most of North America except for the extreme southeastern and southwestern states. It grows best in rich, moist soils but will tolerate average-quality soil and occasional drought.

Cordgrass can grow quickly and create thick stands. This is a good plant for a naturalized rain garden, along a wetland edge, or for erosion control. Long, flowering stalks rise above the foliage in mid to late summer and, in ideal growing conditions, can bring their total height to six or seven feet. The leaves have sharp edges, so you probably don’t want to grow this grass in an area you frequently walk through.

Deergrass

	botanical name Muhlenbergia rigens
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3 – 5 feet
	hardiness zones 7 – 10

Deergrass is an attractive clumping grass native to the southwestern United States. It grows well in full sun with dry, well-drained soil. In its natural habitat, deergrass grows in canyons and washes and dry, open woodlands. 

This larger clumping grass is easy to grow and will make a statement in your landscape. The dense, rounded clusters of thin blades look great as individual plants or when planted side-by-side in a larger area, perhaps in combination with some larger shrubs. Birds enjoy eating the seeds produced from the tall, erect flower-bearing stems.

Giant Cane

	botanical name Arundinaria gigantea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10 – 20 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Giant cane, canebrake bamboo, or river cane, is a native bamboo found in the south-central and southeastern United States. It naturally grows in many habitats but is particularly common in coastal areas and floodplains. Use it along a wetland edge or other moist site as a tall ornamental grass or as a streambank stabilizer.

The giant cane is an excellent privacy barrier when used for mass planting. Giant cane is evergreen and will offer year-round greenery. It attracts butterflies and birds seeking its dense shelter and is the larval host plant of the southern pearly-eye butterfly. This plant will spread, so you can expect your initial clump to creep outwards each year by underground rhizomes. 

Indian Grass

	botanical name Sorghastrum nutans
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3 – 5 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Indian grass is widespread and native throughout central and eastern North America. It can be found growing in prairies, grasslands, and open woodlands. This is a good grass for a larger, sunny, naturalized area because it will spread by rhizomes and self-seeding. 

Indian grass can also be grown in smaller clumps or containers for some natural grassland diversity. The clumps of vegetation stay green throughout the growing season and are long-lasting into the fall and winter. Flowering stems rise well above the clusters in early fall, topped with feathery amber-colored seedheads. Leave the seedheads throughout the winter, and birds will come to forage on them.

Lindheimer’s Muhly

	botanical name Muhlenbergia lindheimeri
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2 – 5 feet
	hardiness zones 6 – 10

Lindheimer’s muhly is a very showy bunchgrass native to Texas and Mexico. In its natural habitat, Lindbeimer’s muhly is typically associated with limestone soils and commonly grows along streams.

As a landscaping plant, Lindbeimer’s muhly makes an excellent ornamental grass. The foliage is thin and wiry, forming a rounded clump. It blooms in summer with long-lasting flowering seedheads that persist through fall. The flower heads are showy, feathery, creamy-white tufts. 

Little Bluestem

	botanical name Schizachyrium scoparium
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

Little bluestem is a classic grass characteristic of native prairies. It also grows in pastures, roadsides, and open grasslands throughout North America. It tolerates a range of environmental conditions. 

Little bluestem forms dense clusters of upright, bluish-green blades, typically with reddish tips. The purple-hued flowering stems develop from late summer into fall, topped with purple-bronze flowering seedheads. Little bluestem is a larval host plant for skipper butterflies and common wood-nymph butterflies. Birds and small mammals enjoy eating the seeds in the fall and winter.

Little Bluestem ‘Blaze’ 

	botanical name Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

Not all little bluestem grasses are blue. ‘Blaze’ is a cultivar with beautiful bronze-red autumn foliage. Grow ‘Blaze’ in a rock garden, xeriscape garden, or anywhere you want a bit of late-season colorful glow. The foliage persists into the winter months, adding some structure and interest after most wildflowers have died away for the year. 

Marsh Grass

	botanical name Spartina bakeri
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 8 – 11

Marsh grass, also known as sand cordgrass, is native to the southeastern United States and Texas. This large bunchgrass grows in coastal areas and wetlands, loving a habitat with moist soil. If you are looking for an easy-to-grow ornamental grass to plant near a wetland edge, marsh grass is an excellent choice.

Spartina bakeri has thin, wiry, light green leaves. In the winter, the leaves turn from green to pale yellowish-brown but continue to provide long-standing vegetation and garden structure. Marsh grass grows in dense, rounded clusters, typically blooming in summer. Use it as an accent plant, around borders and edges, or erosion control. Bunches will expand slowly by creeping rhizomes.

Pennsylvania Sedge

	botanical name Carex pensylvanica
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 0.5 – 1 foot
	hardiness zones 3 – 8

Pennsylvania sedge, or oak sedge, is native to the central and eastern United States and Canada. It grows in medium to moist soils and generally in woodlands and thickets. This sedge does best in cooler climates, where it stays semi-evergreen, and may die back prematurely in warmer climates.

This type of sedge would be a great woodland plant to naturalize. You can also grow it in large clusters as a grass alternative in shaded areas, although it’s better at providing greenery rather than tolerating foot traffic. Pennsylvania sedge stays small and compact, making it a well-behaved, easy-to-grow native sedge. 

Pink Muhly Grass

	botanical name Muhlenbergia capillaris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Pink muhly grass is a popular landscaping plant and perhaps one of the showiest native grasses. It grows naturally in grasslands throughout much of the lower central and eastern United States.

As a landscaping plant, grow your pink muhly grass in a pocket prairie, rock garden, xeriscape, or wildlife-friendly garden. If you have space to plant several clumps of this beautiful grass, you can fully appreciate its beautiful blooms that create a mist of pink vegetation each fall. The blades and seedheads are long-standing into the winter months and continue to provide structure and habitat that attracts birds, beneficial insects, and small mammals.

Pink Muhly ‘Pink Flamingos’

	botanical name Muhlenbergia ‘Pink Flamingos’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 6 – 10

If you like the delicate pink color of pink muhly grass, you will love the deep, vibrant pink of ‘Pink Flamingos’ muhly. This is a hybrid muhly grass derived from native species. This drought-tolerant beauty thrives in warm climates with low to medium-moisture, well-drained soil. Grow it in full sun or very lightly dappled shade.

‘Pink Flamingos’ muhly grass has thin pale green arching blades throughout most of the growing season. It bursts into bloom by late fall with many graceful feathery flowering seedheads that practically glow in the sun, particularly when back-lit. The foliage is long-standing and will continue to provide structure and interest throughout the winter months and provide seeds for foraging winter birds.

Prairie Dropseed

	botanical name Sporobolus heterolepis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

Prairie dropseed is an ornamental bunch-grass native to much of the central and eastern United States and Canada. It prefers cooler climates and is absent from most of the southeastern states. Grow prairie dropseed in a larger naturalized area or use it as a hillside soil stabilizer. 

Prairie dropseed looks nice in a meadow garden or rock garden. The gracefully arching leaves create dense clusters and can be grown individually as accent plants or en masse for added greenery. Loose, delicate-looking panicles bloom in late summer and fall with pale pinkish-brown hues. The vegetation is long-standing in winter, and the seeds will attract foraging birds.

Prairie Junegrass

	botanical name Koeleria macrantha
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1 – 2 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

Prairie junegrass is a widespread native grass found in grasslands throughout North America, particularly in the central and western regions.

Prairie junegrass is somewhat short-lived but will self-seed in ideal conditions. It will die back early in hot, humid climates, while in cooler climates, it will stay green throughout the growing season. Dense foliage clumps make attractive plants for borders, edges, and rock gardens. The tall flowering stems are topped with pale yellowish-amber, densely tufted seedheads.

Purple Love Grass

	botanical name Eragrostis spectabilis
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1 – 2 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Purple love grass is a showy ornamental grass native throughout most of central and eastern North America. You can find purple love grass growing in prairies, grasslands, meadows, fields, and along roadsides. As a landscaping plant, it is easy to grow in any location with dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil. 

Purple love grass stays fairly small and compact. The bunches of somewhat broad-bladed grass stay green throughout the growing season. It blooms from late summer into fall with loose panicles of coppery-pink flowers. Birds will come to forage on the ripe seeds in late fall and winter. This plant would look nice growing in a rock, xeriscape, or prairie-themed garden.  

Purple Top

	botanical name Tridens flavus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 5 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Purple top, sometimes called redtop or purpletop Tridens, is an ornamental bunchgrass native to the central and eastern United States. It grows in grasslands and along roadsides and is easy to grow as a landscaping plant.

Purple top is a good grass for a larger naturalized area or a native plant garden. The leaves are long and clumping and offer a larval food source for several species of skipper butterflies and the common wood-nymph butterfly.

The feathery panicles bloom in late summer and fall and will later attract foraging fall and winter birds with their seeds. The vegetation is attractive and long-standing, providing shelter for birds and other small wildlife throughout the year. 

River Oats

	botanical name Chasmanthium latifolium
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 2 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

River oats, also known as northern sea oats, are attractive ornamental grasses native to central and eastern North America. It is often found along woodland edges and wetland borders. As a landscaping plant, grow a cluster of river oats in a partially shaded location with moist soil. 

River oats are particularly showy in the late summer and fall when they develop drooping panicles lined with rows of flattened, oat-like seedheads. River oats will tend to spread quickly by both rhizomes and self-seeding.

Grow it in a naturalized area, woodland garden, or wildlife habitat. River oats attract foraging birds in the fall with their seeds and are a larval host plant for the northern pearly-eye butterfly.

Sea Oats

	botanical name Uniola paniculata
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 7 – 11

Sea oats are a characteristic plant of coastal sand dune habitats of the southeastern United States. If you live in the Southeast and have very sandy soil, this would be an excellent grass for a drought-tolerant, native coastal landscape. 

Sea oats grow fairly slowly and develop a long tap root, then spread outward by rhizomes. Over time, it will create several large clumps of grass. In the summer months, it blooms with elongated panicles full of densely packed, flattened, oat-like seed heads.

These make excellent dried flowers and add ornamental interest to the garden. Foraging birds will also come to feed on the seeds.

Seep Muhly

	botanical name Muhlenbergia reverchonii
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Seep muhly is a densely bunching grass native to Oklahoma, Texas, and Mexico. It inhabits limestone slopes, hillsides, rocky prairies, and glades. It performs best in rocky, dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil. The soil should be alkaline, with a pH greater than 7.2. 

If you live in Texas or Oklahoma and have limestone-based soil, the seep muhly would be a great option for your garden. This is an interesting plant with thin tussock-like foliage. As the plants develop, mature, and grow larger, they develop very rounded tussocks of curled vegetation, which is especially striking when grown en masse. This creates a somewhat unusual look for your landscape. 

Side Oats Grama

	botanical name Bouteloua curtipendula var. caespitosa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1.5 – 2 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Side oats grama is a widespread grass native throughout much of North America. It grows naturally in a variety of grasslands and open woodlands. This grass is best used in a naturalized area or for drought-tolerant greenery for your xeriscape landscape. 

Side oats grama grass produces clumps of thin, stiff, upright, light green blades. Starting in mid-summer, it blooms with taller upright stems topped with multiple seeds that project outwards along only one side of the stem. The grass and flowering stems turn yellowish-orange in the fall, maintaining this color for winter-season interest in the landscape.

Sugarcane Plumegrass

	botanical name Saccharum giganteum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3 – 8 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 10

Sugarcane plumegrass, also known as giant plumegrass, is a very tall ornamental grass native to the southeastern United States. It grows naturally in moist areas and along wetland edges. It can reach over ten feet in height in warmer climates but typically stays shorter in cooler and moderate climates.

The sugarcane plumegrass is a great choice if you have a large naturalized area and are looking for a tall variety of grass to stand out above the rest. This grass blooms in the fall with very showy, feathery, golden-white plumes that catch the light and wave gracefully in the breeze.

When planted in a cluster, sugarcane plumegrass is quite eye-catching. It is also a larval host plant for several skipper butterflies and the common wood-nymph butterfly.

Switchgrass

	botanical name Panicum virgatum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Switchgrass, or panic grass, is a common and easy-to-grow grass. It is native throughout most of North America, except for the west coast. It is naturally found in tallgrass prairies, meadows, roadsides, and along wetland edges.

Switchgrass grows to form a large, dense clump of gracefully arching foliage. The grass blades are blue-green during the growing season, turning golden brown in the fall and long-standing throughout the winter.

In the fall, delicate, fine panicles rise above the rest of the cluster, with red-tipped flowers turning hazy brown at maturity. Because this grass can grow so large, it makes an excellent accent plant. Birds will happily forage on the seeds and seek shelter among the dense foliage. 

Switchgrass ‘Cheyenne Sky’ 

	botanical name Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

There are several showy cultivars of the native switchgrass. ‘Cheyenne Sky’ is a cultivar that stays a bit more compact and displays deep red leaf tips during early summer, remaining bright red and colorful throughout the rest of the growing season.

This is an excellent grass to grow along a wetland border or use as an accent plant in your prairie garden. Cultivars such as ‘Cheyenne Sky’ can reproduce and spread by self-seeding, but the resulting new plants may not grow true to the parent form.

Switchgrass ‘Northwind’ 

	botanical name Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4 – 5 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

‘Northwind’ is another switchgrass cultivar. This is another mid to large-sized grass that makes attractive dense clusters of vegetation. ‘Northwind’ grows dense and compact with stiff upright stems. The foliage is blue-green, turning to golden brown in the fall. The seedheads are delicate, tall, and full of seeds that will provide nutrition for hungry fall and winter birds.

Tall Dropseed

	botanical name Sporobolus compositus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4 – 5 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 8

Tall dropseed, also known as composite dropseed or rough dropseed, is native throughout much of North America except for the extreme southwest and the extreme southeastern states. It grows naturally in both wet and dry soils and can be found in varied grasslands and prairies.

Tall dropseed develops thin, rounded clusters of leaves. In the summer, it grows tall, straight seedheads lined with tightly packed seedheads that turn brown at maturity.

Tall dropseed is good for a larger naturalized area or use along a wetland border. Birds will happily forage on the seeds and seek shelter under the clumps of dense vegetation. 

Texas Bluegrass

	botanical name Poa arachnifera
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 6 – 9

Texas bluegrass is a showy, clumping native grass native to the southern and southeastern United States. This is a good plant for restoration projects, soil stabilization, and larger naturalized areas.

Texas bluegrass is an attractive cool-season grass that looks its best starting in the fall, lasting through the winter, and into spring. By the heat of summer, it has already gone dormant until the following cool season. The golden tufts of feathery flowers bloom during winter, adding some interesting green vegetation when other plants have gone dormant.

Toothache Grass

	botanical name Ctenium aromaticum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 8 – 10

Toothache grass is an ornamental bunch grass native to the southeastern United States. It grows primarily along the coastal plain in sunny grasslands with moist soil, such as around inland wetlands. In the home garden, grow toothache grass in a location with moist, well-drained, acidic soil.

This fascinating grass forms dense, rounded mounds of narrow blades. The flowers bloom in the summer and look a bit like the teeth of a comb along one side of each flowering stem. This type of grass would make a fine addition to a southeastern meadow garden or wildlife-friendly landscape. Toothache grass is a larval host plant for various species of skipper butterflies, and birds will eat the seeds.

Tufted Hairgrass

	botanical name Deschampsia cespitosa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Tufted hairgrass, or tussock grass, is an ornamental cool-season grass native throughout much of the northern United States. It grows best in partial shade with rich, moist soil. In its native habitat, it grows in moist meadows, fields, grasslands, and along wetland edges.

Tufted hairgrass develops dense, compact clusters of very fine, thin foliage. Grow several clumps together for an excellent ground cover and appealing greenery during the year’s cooler months. It blooms in the summer and fall with dense clusters of flowering seedheads. Birds love the seeds and will forage during the fall and winter months. 

Vanilla Sweet Grass

	botanical name Heirochloe odorata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1.5 – 2 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

A cool-season grass, vanilla sweet grass is native to northern North America. In its natural habitat, it grows in moist prairies and savannahs and around wetland edges. This is an interesting but aggressively growing grass, so plant it in a larger naturalized area where it can spread freely. 

Vanilla sweet grass has broad blades and spreads by underground rhizomes, creating large masses of vegetation. It blooms in the summer with tall, upright, somewhat coarse-looking brownish panicles. The leaves have a vanilla-like fragrance when crushed.

Wild Rye ‘Canyon Prince’ 

	botanical name Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 7 – 10

‘Canyon Prince’ is an attractive wild rye cultivar. It has evergreen foliage and is an excellent accent plant in a xeriscape landscape. The blue-green leaves form dense rounded mounds that can grow up to four feet tall and four feet across. ‘Canyon Prince’ blooms in the summer with upright, blue-green stems topped with thin, bushy panicles.

Wild rye is native to California, and ‘Canyon Price’ is a showy and very adaptable cultivar. Grow it in a xeriscape landscape or naturalized area with plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil. It will spread over time into larger and larger clusters, so do a bit of thinning when necessary.

Wire Grass

	botanical name Juncus tenuis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1 – 2 feet
	hardiness zones 2 – 9

Wiregrass is an attractive clump-forming rush native throughout North America. This common, widespread rush is easy to grow in any sunny site with moist to wet soil. It is particularly well adapted to growing in and around wetlands and makes an excellent plant for erosion control. 

This grass produces dense clusters of thin, tubular, straight stems. It blooms in the summer with greenish-brown flowering bracts. When planted en masse, wiregrass can be mowed high to make a satisfying lawn substitute in wetter areas. Wiregrass tends to grow quickly and aggressively, so be sure to plant this in a location where it can spread freely and not become a nuisance.

Wire Grass ‘Blue Arrows’ 

	botanical name Juncus tenuis ‘Blue Arrows’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1 – 2 feet
	hardiness zones 2 – 9

‘Blue Arrows’ is a wire grass cultivar that is available from nurseries. This low-maintenance grass-like plant is actually a rush. It has thin, upright, tubular leaves that are a showy blue-green color.

Grow several clumps together for a very attractive display of greenery, especially in a moist, sunny area such as a rain garden, wetland edge, or surrounding a garden pond.

Frequently Asked Questions