BU-6411     Revised 2004

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Back to Ornamental Grasses for Cold Climates

grasses for different landscape needs

water gardens,
standing water, and along lakeshores

• Acorus calamus 'Variegatus', variegated sweet flag
• Carex comosa, bottlebrush sedge N
• Carex muskingumensis, palm sedge N
• Carex stricta, tussock sedge N
• Chasmanthium latifolium, northern seaoats N
• Glyceria maxima 'Variegata', variegated manna grass
• Hierochloe odorata, sweetgrass N
• Juncus effusus, common rush N
• Leymus arenarius, blue lymegrass
• Miscanthus 'Purpurascens', red flame miscanthus
• Miscanthus sacchariflorus
• Panicum virgatum, switchgrass N
• Phalaris arundinacea 'Picta', ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea var. luteo-picta, yellow ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea 'Feesey's Form', Feesey's ribbongrass
• Spartina pectinata, cordgrass N
• Spartina pectinata 'Aureo-Marginata', variegated cordgrass
• Zizania aquatica, wild rice (annual) N

hardy in USDA Zone 3*

• Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum
  'Variegatum', bulbous oatgrass
• Bouteloua curtipendula, side oats grama
• Bouteloua gracilis, blue grama
• Bromus inermis 'Skinner's Gold', Skinner's gold brome
• Calamagrostis xacutiflora 'Karl Foerster','Karl Foerster' feather reedgrass
• Calamagrostis brachytricha, fall blooming reedgrass
• Calamagrostis xacutiflora 'Overdam', 'Overdam' reedgrass
• Carex grayi, Gray's sedge
• Carex muskingumensis, palm sedge
• Carex flacca, carnation sedge
• Deschampsia caespitosa, tufted hairgrass
• Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue', 'Elijah Blue' fescue
• Festuca glauca 'Solling', 'Solling' blue fescue
• Helictotrichon sempervirens, blue oatgrass
• Leymus arenarius, blue lymegrass
• Miscanthus sacchariflorus, silver banner grass
• Miscanthus 'Purpurascens', red flame miscanthus
• Miscanthus sinensis 'Malpartus', 'Malpartus' miscanthus (survived 5 of 7 winters)
• Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder', silverfeather miscanthus (survived 5 of 7 winters)
• Miscanthus x 'Giganteus', giant miscanthus (survived 5 of 7 winters)
• Molinia caerulea 'Variegata', variegated purple moorgrass
• Molinia caerulea ssp. arundinacea 'Windspiel,'windplay tall moorgrass
• Panicum virgatum, switchgrass
• Phalaris arundinacea 'Picta', ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea var. luteo-picta, yellow ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea 'Feesey's Form', Feesey's ribbongrass
• Schizachyrium scoparium, little bluestem
• Sorghastrum nutans, Indian grass
• Spartina pectinata, cordgrass
• Spartina pectinata 'Aureo-marginata', variegated cordgrass
• Spodiopogon sibiricus, silver spikegrass
• Sporobolus heterolepis, prairie dropseed

N = native to United States
* (-30 to -40 degrees C)

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shady locations

• Carex species, most sedges N
• Chasmanthium latifolium, northern seaoats N
• Deschampsia caespitosa, tufted hairgrass N
• Hakonechloa macra, hakone grass
• Hakonechloa macra, 'Albo-Striata'
• Hakonechloa macra, 'Aureola'
• Elymus hystrix var. hystrix, eastern bottlebrush N
• Luzula species, woodrush N
• Phalaris arundinacea 'Picta', ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea var. luteo-picta, yellow ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea 'Feesey's Form', Feesey's ribbongrass

  dry shade

• Carex pensylvania, Pennsylvania sedge N
• Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue', 'Elijah Blue' fescue (light shade)
• Festuca species, fescue, (light shade)
• Helictotrichon sempervirens, blue oatgrass (light shade)
• Phalaris arundinacea, 'Picta', ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea var. luteo-picta, yellow ribbongrass
• Phalaris arundinacea 'Feesey's Form', Feesey's ribbongrass

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grasses for containers

• Acorus calamus 'Variegatus', variegated sweet flag
• Alopecurus pratensis 'Aureus', yellow foxtail
• Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum 'Variegatum', bulbous oatgrass
• Calamagrostis xacutiflora 'Overdam', 'Overdam' feather reedgrass
• Calamagrostis xacutiflora 'Avalanche', 'Avalanche' feather reedgrass
• Carex conica 'Variegata', variegated sedge
• Carex muskingumensis, palm sedge
• Carex muskingumensis 'Little Midge', 'Little Midge' palm sedge
• Carex muskingumensis 'Oehme', 'Oehme' palm sedge
• Carex flagellifera 'Toffee Twist', 'Toffee Twist' sedge
• Chasmanthium latifolium, northern seaoats
• Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue', 'Elijah Blue' fescue
• Hakonechloa macra, hakone grass
• Hakonechloa macra 'Albo-Striata',
  striped hakone grass
• Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola', golden hakone grass
• Helictotrichon sempervirens, blue oatgrass
• Imperata 'Red Baron', bloodgrass
• Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegata', variegated miscanthus
• Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus 'Caberet', 'Caberet' miscanthus
• Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny', dwarf fountaingrass
• Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Majesty', 'Purple Majesty' millet
• Pennisteum setaceum, crimson fountaingrass
• Pennisteum setaceum 'Rubrum', purple fountaingrass

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annual grasses in cold climates*

• Arundo donax 'Variegata', striped giant reed
• Carex buchananii, leatherleaf sedge
• Carex flagellifera 'Toffee Twist', 'Toffee Twist' sedge
• Melinis nerviglumis 'Pink Crystals'(TM) , rubygrass
• Milium effusum 'Aureum' , golden wood millet
• Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus, 'Cosmopolitan', 'Cosmopolitan' miscanthus
• Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus 'Caberet', 'Caberet' miscanthus
• Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Regal Mist'(TM) , pink muhly
• Nassella tenuissima,Mexican feathergrass
• Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Majesty', 'Purple Majesty' millet
• Pennisetum orientale, oriental fountaingrass
• Pennisteum setaceum, tender or crimson fountaingrass
• Pennisetum setaceum, 'Rubrum', purple fountaingrass
• Pennisetum villosum, feathertop
• Saccharum ravennae, plumegrass, ravennagrass

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