Ornamental Grasses, Ground Covers & Vines

   

Ornamental Grasses add variety to many types of gardens and landscapes--water, Japanese, rock, wildlife, XeroScape, container. Ornamental grasses add two elements to the garden experience--movement and sound.  They add a significant vertical presence to the winter landscape and are commonly left standing until spring. Container-grown grasses can be planted all season, stopping a month before first frost.  Some grasses grow best under warm temperatures (warm season) and others in cooler temperatures (cool season).  Examples of “warm” grasses include Miscanthus, Panicum and Pennisetum.  “Cool” weather grasses include Helictotrichon.
 
Grasses are adaptable and can grow in poorer soils better than many other garden plants. Most grasses are deer resistant and few pests will bother grasses. If aphids or mites appear, spray with a strong stream of water to control the problem.
  • Grasses require little effort to maintain.
  • Grasses come in many heights, colors, textures and have varying water requirements.
  • Grass seed heads and foliage add fall and winter interest.
  • Dried grasses have many decorative uses indoors and out.
  • Grasses can be used as groundcovers, specimen plants, for erosion control, and as vertical design elements.

Please use the Ornamental Grass variety table as a guide and do not hesitate to contact us if you are looking for something you do not see listed below:

   

Botanical Name

Common Name

SU=Full Sun

SH=Full Shade

P=Partial Shade

Foliage Color

Bloom Time

Deer Resistant?

Comments/Special Uses

Container Size

Acorus g. Variegatus

Variegated Japanese Sweet Flag

P

Dark green & creamy white variegated; 1/2" wide & 8-10" tall

    

Truly Evergreen; loves and requires wet "feet"!

#1 Pot

Calamgrostis Avalanche

Avalanche Feather Reed Grass

SU - P

Wide white band down the center; 4' tall

Silvery Tan plume in Mid-Summer

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Calamagrostis brachytricha

Korean Feather Reed Grass

SU - P

Thick clumps of grassy foliage to 2'

Puffy, rosy-purple 3-1/2' upright blooms in November become cinnamon colored in Winter

Yes

Excellent grass for specimens or groupings

#1 Pot

Calamgrostis Overdam

Overdam Feather Reed Grass

SU - P

White variegation on the narrow 12" high foliage

Gold tassel on erect 36" stem in June

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Carex glauca (flacca)

Blue Sedge

SU - P

Somewhat arching blue leaves are 6-8" tall

  

Yes

Drought tolerant

#1 Pot

Carex Silver Sceptre

Silver Variegated Sedge

SU - P

Very arching narrow 1/4" wide by 12" long green leaves with a white edge

  

Yes

Evergreen, long-lived easy to grow

#1 Pot

Cortaderia s. Pumila

Dwarf Pampas Grass

SU

4-5' tall foliage

5-6' creamy foliage

Yes

  

#2 Pot

Cortaderia s. Rosea

Pink Pampas Grass

SU

  

Arching rosy plumes to 9-12'

Yes

  

#2 Pot

Festuca Elijah Blue

Blue Fescue

SU

8-10" fine, tufted, blue-gray foliage

  

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Helictotrichon s. Saphire

Blue Oats Grass

SU

2' tall stiff, blue-gray foliage with a nice clump habit

  

Yes

Evergreen; Heat tolerant

#1 Pot

Imperata Cylindrica Red Baron

Japanese Blood Grass

SU-P

Green leaf base to blood red leaves to 12-15" tall

  

Yes

Gorgeous ground cover; looks best in groups of 3 to 5

#1 Pot

Liriope m. Big Blue

Lilyturf

SU - P - SH

Green leaves to 1-2' spread

Purple flower spikes in Summer

    

#1 Pot

Liriope m. Monroe White

Lilyturf

SU - P - SH

Evergreen 12" long leaves are best in partial to full shade

Spikes of white flowers in September

Yes

Black berries

#1 Pot

Liriope m. 'Variegata'

Lilyturf

SU - P - SH

Variegated border grass; 1 to 3' spread

Lavender flower spikes in early Fall

    

#1 Pot

Miscanthus Adagio

Adagio Grass

SU

Narrow, silvery-gray leaves to 3' tall

Pink inflorescence turns gradually white in Fall

Yes

Hardy gorwer that forms quickly into a thick graceful clump

#1 Pot

Miscanthus Little Zebra

Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Zebra'

SU

Dwarf selection with yellow banding throughout the season; grows to 3-4' tall

Reddish purple plumes emerge turning creamy tan

Yes

Resistant to rust spots

#1 Pot

Miscanthus Morning Light

Variegated Maiden Grass

SU

Strongly arching growth gives it a feathery look; grows to 5-6' tall

Upright red blooms in Summer

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Miscanthus purpurascens

Red-Leaved Miscanthus

SU

Green leaves with strong vertical growth turns orange-red in August

Magenta-colored bloom turns white in September

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Miscanthus sinensis 'Gold Bar'

Porcupine Grass

SU - P

Large golden horizontal stripe on upright foliage to 4-5' tall

Burgundy plumes in Fall

Yes

  

#5 Pot

Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens'

Flame Grass

SU - P

Compact, upright gray-green foliage with red-tinge turns red-orange in Fall and darkens to bugundy; 4-5' tall

Early flowering narrow vertical plumes are pink drying to silver

Yes

  

#5 Pot

Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder'

Silver Feather Grass

SU

Green leaves with silver mid-stripe; gorws to 7-9' tall

Lovely silver-white, fan-shaped plumes from August to October

Yes

  

#5 Pot

Miscanthus Strictus

Porcupine Grass

SU

Horizontal bands of yellow on green leaves; stiff erect manner; grows to 6-8'

Pink blooms in August & September

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Miscanthus Yaku Jima

Dwarf Maiden Grass

SU

Strong narrow gren leaves grow to 3-4' tall; thick clumping of billowing, arched foliage

Silver flowers in August

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Muhlenbergia cappilaris

Muhley Grass

SU

Clump form with narrow dark green foliage grows to 3' tall

Pink inflorescence in late August

    

#1 Pot

Panicum Heavy Metal

Blue Switchgrass

SU - P

Stiff, upright habit achieves an open airy look; sensational metallic blue foliage

Seed heads float over delicate blades in late July and August to a height of 4-5' tall; turn tan over Winter

Yes

Drought tolerant native makes a great wildlife cover

#1 Pot

Panicum Rotstrahibusch

Red Switchgrass

SU - P

Green leaves in Summer turn burgundy-red in Fall

Airy panicles are red-tinged in Fall to a height of 4-5' tall

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Penisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'

Dwarf Fountain Grass

SU - P

Non-invasive tuft, mound-grower to 18-24" tall

Coppery-tan tassells beginning in July

Yes

  

#5 Pot

Pennisetum a. Little Bunny

Fountain Grass

SU - P

Graceful, arching little Fountain Grass grows to 6-8"

    

Great for border or rock garden

#1 Pot

Pennisetum orientale

Oriental Fountain Grass

SU - P

Delicate and open form with gray-green foliage

Foxtail-like purplish-pink arching flowers from July to October grow to 2-3' tall

Yes

  

#1 Pot

Pennisetum set. Fireworks*

Variegated Purple Fountain Grass

SU - P

Striking burgundy with green and pink variegation grows to 24-30" tall

Graceful, burgundy flower heads Summer to Frost

Yes

This is a perennial grass that is not hardy through our Winters.  Treat it as an annual.

#1 Pot

Pennisetum set. Rubrum*

Purple-leaved Fountain Grass

SU - P

Maroon leaves hold color all Summer; 4' tall

6-8" long maroon seed heads from June to Frost

Yes

This is a perennial grass that is not hardy through our Winters.  Treat it as an annual.

#1 Pot

Phalris a. Strawberries & Cream

Ribbon Grass

SU - P

Pink variegation appears with white and green leaves; foliage reaches 2' tall

  

Yes

Aggressive grower; tolerates wet conditions

#1 Pot

Phyllostachys aurea

Golden Bamboo

P

Very hardy, rigid upright growing bamboo to 15-20' tall

    

Best for hedges or planting next to driveways as a screen

#5 Pot

*Denotes this Grass is non-hardy perennial and should be treated as an annual.
 
Click the link below to download a printable form of this list .
   
   

2009 Ornamental Grass Database

    
    
Ground Covers
   
Ajuga Bronze Beauty – Ajuga ‘Bronze Beauty’
Blue flowers over mahogany-bronze leaves.  Spreads rapidly.
Half Flat 
 
Ivy English – Hedera Helix
Great heavy shade ground cover with dark green lustrous leaves.
Half Flat
Full Flat 
 
Ivy Glacier – Hedera Helix ‘Glacier’
Mid-green leaves with silver-gray variegation and white margins.
Half Flat 
 
Ivy Gold Child – Hedera Helix ‘Gold Child’
Gray-green leaves with broad yellow margins.
Half Flat 
  
Pachysandra or Japanese Spurge – Pachysandra Terminalis
Grows well in deep shade and forms a sild mat; light green leaves turn lustrous dark green with age.
Full Flat 
  
Periwinkle or Vinca – Vinca Minor
Fast-growing very low ground cover with trailing stems 2 to 3 feet long with shiny dark green leaves.  Lavender-blue, purple, rose or white flowers in Spring.
Half Flat
#1 Container 
 
Vines 
 
Clematis Vine Assorted – Clematis Hybrid Varieties 
Clematis vines can be trained on arbors, walls, fences or as a screen or cover up of an unsightly view.  Clematis vines grow from 6 – 12’ high and take from 2 -3 years to become fully established.  Vines grown in full sun will produce havier blooms for a hsorter timeperiod than those grown in partial shade where blooms won’t be as heavy but will extend over a longer time.  They will benefit from shade over the roots.  Our selection includes the following varieties in #2 Containers: 
 
Carnaby - Pink with rich red bar down the center; 6” flowers in June & September; grows to 8-12’. 
 
Henryii – Pure white with brown anthers; 7-8” blooms in June & September; 2 -20 ‘ in height. 
    
Jackmanii – The most profuse blooming purple clematis; 5-6” blooms in June, July & September; grows 10 – 12’ in height. 
  
Nelly Moser – Pale pink with dark bar down the middle; 6 – 8” blooms in June, August & September; height: 10-12’. 
    
Niobe – Very dark ruby red pointed sepals with gold anthers; 6-8” blooms in June, August & September; 10-12’ in height. 
 
Paniculata  (Sweet Autumn Clematis) – Sweetly scented creamy white 1”  blossoms in great profusion from late Summer on.  Vigorous and easy to grow old-fashioned vine blooms on new wood.   
 
Ramona – Lavender-bl;ue flowers with dark anthers; vigorous grower; 6-8” blooms in July, August & September; height: 10 -16’. 
  
Honeysuckle John Clayton – Lonicera sempervirons ‘John Clayton’
Solid yellow tubular flower clusters run a fence or trellis from May through Summer.  Semi-evergreen; prune out flowered wood after flowering.
#2 Container 
  
Silver Lace Vine – Polygonum nubertii
Fast growing vine grows 12 – 15’ in the first year!  Use to cover arbors, fences, old buildings, etc.  Masses of tiny fragrant white flowers from July through September.  Will do well in sun or shade.
#2 Container 
 
Trumpet Vine - Campsis radicans ‘Madame Galen’
Vigorous hardy hybrid with large orange and scarlet flowers.
#2 Container 
 
Wisteria Vine - Wisteria Floribunda
Stout vine with perfect, fragrant violet blue flowers.
#2 Container
#3 Container
#10 Container                 Staked
  
  

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