Ornamental grasses are a popular addition to gardens because they are easy to grow, need no fertilizer, most are deer resistant, and their maintenance needs are minimal. Every five to seven years they may need to be divided if/when hollow centers develop. They also add movement, sound, and beauty.
However, there are so many different varieties of grasses, it can be overwhelming to determine which are the best ones to plant. Chicago Botanic Garden ran a trial of 109 varieties of ornamental grasses to determine which performed the best. They gave 25 grasses five-star ratings.
Those are listed below. Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawk’ and ‘Dancing Wind’ are big bluestem grasses, sometimes called turkey foot. They have colorful stems, like full sun, are drought tolerant, and grows in clumps.
Be certain you understand its full height before putting it into your garden. Molina caerulea ‘Bergfreund,’ ‘Cordoba,’ ‘Dauerstrahl,’ ’Fontane,’ ‘Heidebraut,’ ‘Moorflamme,’ ‘Moorhexe,’ ‘Poul Peterson,’ ’Skyracer,’ ‘Transparent,’ and ‘Windspiel,’ or commonly called purple moor grass, likes cool, moist soils, so be certain you have the right conditions before planting. Remember, these plants were trialed in Chicago.
Supplemental watering can help purple moor grass through hot summers. Panicum ‘Bad Hair Day,’ ‘Heavy Metal’ and ‘Northwind’is also called switch grass or panic grass. Switch grass stands up tall, although the cutely-named ‘Bad Hair Day’ flops at the top.
‘Northwind’ was named 2014 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association. Other grasses named Perennial Plant of the Year are ‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass in 2001; ‘Aureola’ Japanese Forest Grass in 2009; and Little Bluestem in 2022. Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Desert Plains’ and ‘Red Head,’ commonly called fountain grass, are bushy plants with a graceful arching habit.
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel,’ ‘Jazz,’ and ‘Prairie Munchkin’ are little bluestems. Colorful and clump forming, they are drought tolerant. They are one my most prized ornamental grasses.
Rounding out the top 25 are Sporobolus heterolepsis ‘Tara,’ or prairie dropseed. Drought tolerant, with coppery colored stems in fall, it is sometimes used as a lawn substitute. Grasses with four-star ratings include blue grama, feather reed grass, inland sea oats, American beek grass, Japanese fountain grass, Indiangrass, and giant sacaton.
The trial indicated some switch grasses, fountain grasses, prairie dropseeds to be inferior. Miscanthus and fountain grasses were determined to be prolific seeders, so caution is needed when adding them to the garden. Others grasses in which a few but not a large amount of seedlings were observed include little bluestem, switch grasses, and purple moor grass.
Ornamental grasses can be a delight to grow. They add texture, interest, and contrast. But with so many types of ornamental grasses available, it is wise to do a little research before adding them to your garden.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected] , or visit txmg.org/hendersonmg .
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